


The Mummy - Story to Songs

by VideoPlay5178



Category: The Mummy (1999), The Mummy Returns (2001), The Mummy Series, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008)
Genre: Alcohol abuse in the first few chapters, F/M, I thought it was a brilliant crossover, Indy only appears in a few chapters, Jonathan was in the first world war AU/idea, M/M, Mostly on Jonathan's part, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Song fics, They're stories written to songs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-16
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2020-12-20 17:50:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 35,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21060731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VideoPlay5178/pseuds/VideoPlay5178
Summary: This is a story written in parts to songs.Jonathan is more than content to drown himself in booze until the end of his days, or at least until the gold runs out.





	1. Complicated by Fritz and The Tantrums

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!

Contrary to popular belief. He wasn’t an idiot. No matter what Evie or her handsome new husband thought. He wasn’t actually going to spend all of his glittering gold all at once. Eventually, yes, of course. But not right now. 

No, he’d let it last him a few years before he went crawling back to his family’s estate on his hands and knees to give his little sister a pitiful look to get a room. 

Was it a smart thing to do? Absolutely fucking not. Could he get work? Easily. Could he keep it? Absolutely fucking not. 

So he made himself a budget, kept an eye on how much he was spending and where to milk his riches for all they were worth. 

And the best way to do that was to stay right where he was. While Evie and Rick went back to England after their wedding, he remained behind, promising to write. 

Neither of them were going to write and only he knew it. She’d do it for a few months before getting distracted by something or another and forget all about her big brother. That’s what happened when he went off to boot camp.

He liked Egypt regardless. He trained there. He was handed a gun and taught how to crawl around and avoid death. He was taught how to run on unstable and constantly moving ground. He was taught whom to shoot and how many times.

But he didn’t like remembering any of that.

Instead, he preferred to remember the bazaar their military camp was set up next to. He remembered the vendor's trying to sell them crap trinkets and cane swords. He remembered the lovely men and women who never asked, never told, and who had warm beds.

He remembered the excellent food his mates couldn’t stomach. He remembered the welcoming bars and strong drinks. He remembered the stars at night and the monuments to a society long since dead. 

And that’s what he loved Egypt for. It was not lawless by any means. It wasn’t the same Egypt he trained in, but it was close enough. And his accent got him a few perks, like avoiding prison and minor ruffians. No one wanted the British up their asses more than they already were.

His skin and heritage gave him some other perks too. He was welcomed in more bars than those damn tourists from other countries. He couldn’t afford ignorance and so he didn’t. Sometimes he could gain a few bucks more leading white tourists around since he could speak English and Arabic. Since the locals didn’t mind him too much.

He liked tourists in that aspect. They listened to his crap and believed him. The locals were wise to him by now. He never mentioned the plagues and the mummy that almost destroyed the world. No one did. Just like the old war dogs stopped trying to comroderate with him with their stories from a time since passed. 

Like it never even happened.

Money, booze, and sex. That was his life. He had his guns of course, but he didn’t need them as much anymore. The longer he spent drunk the less he needed them at night. Only about ten percent of his life was sober and it was usually spent nursing a killer headache and protesting organs. 

And, more often than not, it was solved with a shot of some rather expensive whisky he treated himself to. 

It didn’t take long after Evie’s departure for him to realize that without her he was a free floating drunken idiot and well, he didn’t mind. There was no one there when he woke up and he hated being alone.

But he hated being a burden more. So he drank his liver to death and fucked whoever was willing and lived the high life in the slums because they were cheap and he needed that gold he traded in to last him at least three more years.

The cost of drinking like that is the loss of time. If he hadn’t been keeping detailed notes on how he spent his riches every day in his little notebook, he’d have no idea what day it was or if years had already passed or not.

So he knew it had only been about six months, one month since Evie stopped writing, when the swirl of black fabric and a familiar scruffy face and tattooed cheeks appeared beside him at the shit bar he frequented.

“Ardeth Bay!” Jonathan slurred, grinning at the Medjai, raising his empty shot glass. “This doesn’t seem like your kind of bar.”

Ardeth smirked and gracefully sat on the stool beside Jonathan, his robes cascading around him. “It was not the place I expected to find you either, my friend.”

Jonathan snorted and perhaps slapped the glass down a little hard. Regardless, he raised his hand for the bartender. “It’s  _ cheap. _ ”

“Out of money already?” Ardeth said, raising a rather unimpressed eyebrow. “Your sister was concerned that was the case.”

Jonathan shot Ardeth a glare over his arm, letting it fall to the counter as the bartender set another shot glass in front of him. “My dear sister has the  _ worst  _ opinion of me.” He knocked back the shot and sat up, grinning. “I know what I’m doing.”

Ardeth didn’t necessarily look convinced but Jonathan didn’t need him to be. Instead, he pulled out his little book and did some quick math. He had enough for one more shot or a tall glass of beer and since Ardeth didn’t seem to be leaving any time soon, he was going to need a long drink.

He raised his hand but a warm, callused hand caught his arm and lowered it back to the bar. “You are poisoning yourself.” Ardeth’s voice was low and smooth. Jonathan knew he’d never heard it like that before. They met under the circumstances where yelling and shouting were more appropriate. 

Jonathan wrinkled his nose and pulled his arm free. “That’s the goal, old chap!” Jonathan said, giving Ardeth a crooked grin before trying to wave the bartender down again.

Again, his arm was held down. “Regardless of if you are without money, your sister requested that I ensure your safety,” Ardeth said when Jonathan turned to sneer at him.

“How, exactly, did my baby sister get ahold of you? Don’t you live in the middle of the desert?” Jonathan said, trying to yank his arm free. But he was far too drunk and Ardeth was in far too good shape.

“O’Connell had some connections, it seems,” Ardeth said gently, keeping Jonathan’s arm pinned like his struggling wasn’t even happening. “They were concerned when you stopped returning their letters.”

That had Jonathan pausing. “I haven’t gotten any letters,” he muttered, frowning at the bar. He was rather surprised Evie had kept sending letters. 

“Well, you do live in a rather suspicious part of the city,” Ardeth said and Jonathan thought that someone in the bar should look at least a little offended but, well...they all had to agree. “I would not be surprised if the messengers were shot.”

Jonathan snapped his head to look at Ardeth, wondering if...huh. Yep. He did look rather proud of himself. He  _ intended  _ the joke. Huh. 

“Didn’t take you as one for humor,” Jonathan huffed, giving up on freeing his arm. He slipped his little book back into his jacket pocket. 

Ardeth winced and sighed, letting Jonathan’s arm go. “Well, we met in rather...unfortunate circumstances.”

Jonathan snorted, shaking his head. “Rather gross understatement…” Sighing, he pouted at the glasses of shit booze lining the wall. “Now, how exactly do you intend on keeping me safe?”

Ardeth sat up a bit and looked... _ excited _ . “Come,” he said, slipping from the stool and heading for the door.

Jonathan pursed his lips and hummed. “I’m not going anywhere without knowing where first!” he said, getting up and stumbling after Ardeth anyway. 

Ardeth paused to grab Jonathan’s arm and hold him up. “We are going to my home. It is the only way to ensure you do not drink yourself to death.”

Jonathan huffed, realizing they were shuffling in the direction of his apartment. “Will there be booze there?”

There was, in fact, zero booze at the Medjai encampment. In fact, there was only water and juice. Mostly juice. 

Getting to the encampment had taken almost three weeks since they were traveling around and every other day Ardeth had to send his damn falcon and change their direction. 

Then, upon arriving, Jonathan found himself swarmed with people in black robes and Arabic tattoos on various visible body parts and far too sober to deal with this many people.

They primarily spoke in Arabic, only a handful knowing any English at all. Only Ardeth seemed to have a complete grasp on the language. 

Regardless of only a slight language barrier, they were curious about just about everything. During the journey, he’d begun sobering up (he ran out of reserve booze about a week and a half into the long trek, he could have sworn he had more than that but maybe he was drinking it faster. He wasn’t tracking his money any more so he wasn’t sure how time was functioning) and began to worry.

Would they accept an outsider like him? Would they put their noses up? This wasn’t like Cairo where Brits were common and half-breeds like him were more common. Sure, Ardeth said that his people were excited to meet one of the idiots who almost caused, and then stopped, the end of the world, but surely that excitement would wear off eventually.

He was so worried about it that it kept him up at night. Which saved him from other reasons to not sleep.

Ardeth didn’t seem to notice his exhaustion. He probably thought it was from withdrawal which most certainly did not  _ help _ .

However, upon arriving, the children chattered to him about learning English and about the world outside their little camp. The adults wanted to know about his role in stopping that damned Mummy and once they had a satisfying answer they wanted to know his  _ opinion  _ on things.

The first time Ardeth’s second in command, Jamila, turned to Jonathan during a camp meeting to ask what they should do about some English traders bearing down on their lands, he was flabbergasted. He was even more stunned when they  _ listened _ . Ardeth clapped his shoulder and gave him a proud smile and, for the first time since the booze ran out, he felt that high once more.

He’d thought there wouldn’t be a place for him, yet he found himself comfortably positioned as a teacher and expert in foreigners. A diplomat. A useful member of society. He had his own tent and everything!

And the nomad life, it wasn’t too bad. They crossed oasis and temples and ruins that he nor anyone else outside the camp new anything about. The desert felt more like his life blood than ever before. 

Surviving seemed so surprisingly easy. There was an ease in which everyone talked about survival. About how their trades were so common. They seemed pleased when he told them that in England, the ability to sow one's own clothes was a sought after and rare commodity.

The food was astounding. The people were clever and kind. The world never seemed so bright and welcoming.

Well, during the day, anyway.

Now, the night was just as beautiful. He could count all of the stars in the sky if he wanted, and often did. Without booze to numb his mind and without worries to keep him up at night, he had to find some other way to avoid sleep as much as possible.

The camp doctor, an old woman with a gnarled cane and one hell of an arm (oh, and Ardeth's grandmother of all things) often scolded him for the bags under his eyes. He’d find bags of sleepytime tea in his pockets nearly every day.

He took the whacks from that hard wood cane every day too. He refused to sleep, refused to wake the entire camp with his night terrors. They’d welcomed him here. He had a steady job. They loved his jokes and stories. They  _ liked  _ him.

He  _ would not  _ be a burden to them. Nothing was going to ruin this for him, drinking or dreams. He refused.

He was an excellent actor, he could hide it, maybe not from the doctor, but from everyone else? Sure. The kids never knew. They gave him their big smiles and sounded out his funny English words and mocked his accent and listened to his stories.

Their parents and the other adults loved hearing about England and the world, they liked his trade advice. They liked his stories of college and his mates.

Ardeth...Well. When they first arrived, Ardeth refused to leave his side which more meant Jonathan was dragged around through the camp and forced to help with his leadership duties. The longer he stayed, the less Ardeth dragged him around. Yet, at random, Ardeth would appear at his side to see how he was doing.

Even now, nearly a year later, he still had that horrible habit of appearing and grinning at him. Of speaking in English with him and asking about the latest letter from Evie (turned out, she’d sent him more letters during the war too, but God knows where those ended up). He asked him for advice, for his opinion, for his help.

They were friends. Jonathan would like to say close friends but, even after all this time, he had no clue how relationships worked in the camp. Everyone was just so friendly and privacy was a huge part of their culture so he could watch two men or women go into the same tent together at night and he could only guess.

Ardeth didn’t have the personal boundaries that the British had or even his fellow Medjai. He’d place his hands on the small of his back, his shoulder, his arm. He’d lean against him. He’d grip his hand for moments at a time.

It was a whirlwind of thoughts. Far too complicated for Jonathan’s sleep deprived, sober brain.

Ardeth...he  _ probably  _ wasn’t fooled by Jonathan’s act. He knew he wasn’t sleeping. Jonathan was half convinced most of the tea was actually from him.

But he never brought it up. Sometimes he looked like he wanted to, but he refrained.

He was waiting. Jonathan knew it. Ardeth knew it. Most of the camp knew it. But Jonathan was a coward when it counted. When it came to himself. So Ardeth would continue to wait for the rest of time.

Yet, when there was a rare barrel of beer from a trader and Jonathan, to his and the camp’s pride, refused to drink, he thought...maybe he’d waited long enough.

Here, in this camp, surrounded by these people who gave him those welcoming, warm smiles, who clapped him on the shoulder and told him how proud they were of him, he was safe. He...he wasn’t a burden. He had a place.

So he sought out Ardeth that night, asked if they could ride in the desert for a little bit. Ardeth was fast to agree. They mounted their horses (he had a horse, he  _ belonged.  _ He did) and rode until the camp was only a light in the background.

Sitting in the chilling sand and staring at the stars, Ardeth waited once more. A silent, calming presence. Warm in the desert night. He was leaning against him again. 

“Did you know about the Great War?” Jonathan started softly, trying to count the stars again.

“Yes, it was unavoidable to an extent,” Ardeth said gently, hesitantly reaching out and placing his hand on top of Jonathan’s.

Jonathan paused, considering the weight of his hand for a moment. “I trained here, in Egypt. For Gallipoli.”

Ardeth tensing beside him told him everything he needed to know. Closing his eyes, he breathed in deeply through his nose. “All of those stories about my mates? They’re so old.”

Jonathan croaked out a laugh and Ardeth let him curl into a ball against his side. His warm arms wrapped around him and he tried to breath. “I never actually fought. No one caught me when I just...wouldn’t go over the top.”

He remembered the bodies, the blood. He remembered watching his friends fall. One after another. He remembered kneeling in the gore, trying to breath. He remembered dropping to the ground when he was supposed to climb. He remembered his commanders seeing him and not saying a word.

He remembered thinking that there had to be a better way. He remembered being  _ so alone _ . He remembered warning the new recruits from Australia who came. He remembered thinking that the plan was to make a mountain of body between them and the Turks to make a sneak attack from the new high ground.

Now he sobbed. Now he wished he’d climbed that wall made from mud and death. Now he sobbed against Ardeth’s shoulder, the only one from his platoon left alive. 

Now he was being comforted by a friend. A  _ good  _ friend. Now he was at home. Now he couldn’t stop sobbing.

Now, he finally slept.


	2. Sucker by Jonas Brothers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Evelyn's letter first arrived, he hadn't really known what to think of it. What, exactly, was he supposed to do? Did she really think he could do something to help her brother?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!

When Evelyn's letter first arrived, he hadn't really known what to think of it. What, exactly, was he supposed to do? Did she really think he could do something to help her brother?

Jonathan Carnahan seemed like a greedy, drunk, lost cause. Yet, she seemed so concerned in her letter. So...uncertain.

She was certain that her brother had already spent all of his money but she feared for his life when he stopped answering her letters.

She briefly mentioned that he hadn't always been like this. That he didn't drown himself in alcohol once upon a time. Wanted more than money from life. But he supposed, she hadn’t really meant to tell him that. 

So, still indebted to the O'Connell's (regardless of the fact that they unleashed the creature to begin with) he mounted his horse, sent Horus ahead of him, and rode to the city.

He wasn't expecting...Jonathan. well, he was, but not the man he found. Even while drunk he was aware, clever, and more than capable of doing a series of math problems, if his little black book was anything to go by. 

Yet, the man seemed so...defeated. Intending to drive himself to ruin, get himself killed in the slums.

The decision to bring him to the camp was a split second whim. He sent Horus ahead of them while Jonathan gathered his meager belongings (he'd, for some reason, kept a staff when he traded the rest of his gold in for money. He found out much later that the reason was so Jonathan had a backup supply of gold to get him back to England when he eventually spent what money he had).

He also sent Horus with a note. He was grateful that his people were excited to welcome Jonathan to the camp. He was less thrilled when he was informed that they were migrating and were uncertain where they would stop.

However, the long travel time meant he could observe Jonathan and some of his habits. And count all of the alcohol he brought with him. Which was...it was  _ a lot _ .

He tried his best to be sly about dumping bottle upon bottle into the desert. Thankfully, Jonathan seemed unaware of why, exactly, his supply was running low so quickly. He seemed to contribute it to how much he was drinking which was...concerning in the very least.

When the alcohol finally ran dry and Jonathan sobered up he spent most of the next three days afterwards complaining of a terrible headache and needing to stop for the bathroom nearly every hour. But he was a much better conversationalist.

“Do you even like it out here?” Jonathan asked at one point, squinting in the sun at Ardeth. “You grew up out here, didn't you?”

Ardeth had to take a moment to consider the question. No one had ever asked him that before. “I--the desert has been my home since I was born. I never thought about leaving it.”

Jonathan was silent for a moment, the two of them studying each other. “If you could, would you?”

Ardeth frowned, looking down at his horse's mane. He only knew the desert. The city was a rare necessity. He wouldn't know how to go about living there. He knew the basics, of course. “It would be... difficult,” he said eventually. “I never  _ hated _ living in the desert. It is a great comfort to me.”

Turning to look at Jonathan, he smiled. “I think, I would  _ try _ to live somewhere else but only if I had the ability to return here if I wished.”

Jonathan gave Ardeth a rare smile back and nodded. “To be honest, I didn't expect such a well considered answer.” He paused and thought for a moment. “Well, I've never attempted living in the desert before, just camping.”

“It is not at all similar,” Ardeth said, chuckling. “Be prepared to move at a moments notice.”

“Oh well,  _ that _ I'm familiar with.” Jonathan grinned like it was a joke but something about it made Ardeth sit up slightly. 

Jonathan often said things like that, things that sounded suspiciously concerning. Like, he was hiding the truth but so desperately wanted  _ someone _ to notice and  _ do  _ something. He didn't want to talk about it, that was abundantly clear whenever Ardeth got close to asking. He just wanted someone to do something to help without him asking.

It was worse when he was sober. He purposefully slipped up more. Possibly because whatever self-destructive thing he was feeling wasn't buried under the alcohol.

Which, in its own way, was a good thing. From there he could gage where exactly he needed to help, be it reassuring Jonathan that his people would not hate him or to comment that he looked healthier sober.

The days were becoming good. Easier. 

At night, however, Jonathan stopped sleeping. Multiple times Ardeth awoke to Jonathan muttering numbers to himself, eyes bloodshot and heavy, dark bags under his eyes.

It took him about three nights to realize he was counting the stars.

However, every morning, Jonathan acted like he slept the whole night through. Even his eyes and bags seemed to return to a healthier state. Ardeth wasn't entirely certain how Jonathan managed it. 

His acting skills came as a blessing when they arrived back to the camp. Whether he was aware of it or not, Jonathan had most of the camp charmed by the end of the day.

Ardeth kept him close, slightly afraid that if he let Jonathan wonder on his own he'd convince someone to tell him where their thin supply of beer and wine was.

Besides, Jonathan would need to know how they worked if he was going to stay for awhile.

So he dragged him around the camp, introduced him to everyone, told him their customs and ways. Watched the children become enraptured in his stories and demand English lessons.

He was worried at night. He had his own personal tent, most adults did. If Jonathan wasn't sleeping and didn't have the threat of waking someone up, would he wander the camp?

He didn't have to worry long. As customary with guests, families offered up a guest sleeping roll and Jonathan was shifted from family to family every night. Most tents were one large room with thin cloth dividers so wandering was a bit difficult.

He stopped worrying about the alcohol when it seemed that Jonathan was under the impression that they didn't have any at all and therefore was unlikely to ask for it. That didn't stop him from dragging Jonathan around the camp every day.

It was easy to become comfortable with having the Englishman beside him. His fellow Medjai adjusted to his presence enough so to trust his judgement. 

When Jamila asked for Jonathan's help with English traders, Ardeth thought the man might cry right there and then, but he didn't. He swallowed his surprise and answered everyone's questions.

The longer Jonathan stayed with them, the busier he got. Half of his day was spent with the children, teaching them english and mathematics far beyond what they normally would have learned. He taught them science and world history as well.

The other half of his day was spent doing the same with the adults, although those times were more discussion based. Ardeth sat in on as many of those talks as he could. Jonathan was quite the story teller.

Eventually Jonathan was granted his own tent and he did actually tear up a little this time.

Ardeth watched from afar as some of Jonathan's more dedicated students taught him how to put up and take down his tent.

“He doesn't sleep.”

Ardeth glanced over his shoulder at his grandmother. “I know.” He looked back at Jonathan laughing along with the others as he struggled with the tents supports. “He does not like talking about it.”

Grandmother hummed, coming to sit beside him, watching Jonathan with a critical eye. “He will not drink the tea we gave him.”

Ardeth nodded and they were silent for a few moments more. “He fears sleep, I think. He'd much rather count stars,” Ardeth said softly. 

Grandmother nodded, tapping her cane against the sand. “You cannot wait for him to come to you forever.”

Ardeth wrinkled his nose. He remembered, long ago, just before his mother died, he'd been silently mourning the death of his best friend. He'd died in a raid on one of the many ruins the Medjai protected. Shot in the head by one of the Americans at the temple.

Once the Americans were chased away or killed, they had to carry his body all the way back to camp. It was the worst journey of Ardeth's life. 

But, he was the new leader of the tribe, just recently promoted. He had to be strong. Weakness was not something he could afford. He had to prove to the Medjai that he was ready to be their leader.

His mother made it quite clear that she knew something was wrong. That she suspected that he was mourning and trying to hide such an ugly emotion. But she did not confront him. Did not pressure him.

She waited. And he  _ knew _ she was waiting. Waiting for when  _ he  _ realized he needed her.

And he supposed, Jonathan was the same way. He needed to come to the conclusion himself. Others could not help him if he was unwilling to help himself.

And he did, that night they were all swelling with pride for him. Under the stars, curled into a ball against Ardeth's side. He sobbed, muttering about the Great War. About his comrades, his friends, his lover. About a mountain of death. About the rattle of guns. About not being brave. About wishing he'd gone over that trench wall and died like everyone else.

It was...more than Ardeth thought he could handle. He had no idea what to say. Thankfully, Jonathan didn't seem to want anything at all from him...other than to lay still.

Jonathan sobbed himself to sleep curled up mostly on Ardeth's chest and breathing deeply. 

Ardeth stared at the stars, at the faint clouds of smoke that made up their galaxy. He could see why Jonathan found counting the stars distracting.


	3. Where is My Mind by Pixies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A quiet moment between friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!

His baby sister was pregnant. He could believe it.

With how she and Rick looked at each other, he was honestly surprised there weren’t more little tikes running around already.

“...take that Bembridge!” Jonathan finished reading the paragraph, smirking when he heard Ardeth’s quiet chuckle.

Looking over Evie’s last letter, he watched Ardeth pretend to read a trade agreement Jonathan had made himself for the German traders poking at their campsite.

Ever since that night in the desert, he found the time to just sit in Ardeth’s tent and exist beside him, them both working away at their own tasks. Ardeth mostly reviewing scout notes and trading reports. 

Jonathan was either reading one of Evie’s letters or writing one back. If he wasn’t doing that, he was attempting to weave a shawl one of the women taught him how to make.

Before that night almost three weeks ago, he was almost afraid of coming into Ardeth’s tent despite the standing invitation. Now, however, he found himself glad he was no longer so afraid. He wasn’t certain what was holding him back before.

Well, he certainly had guesses. Most had to deal with his confusion on the Medjai’s view of certain...relationships. Recently, he blurted his confusion to Ardeth who simply stared at him confused before laughing lightly.

“We are mostly unconcerned with things like that. Who someone loves is not others concern,” Ardeth had told him. “And if, Allah forbid, a pair of parents die and their child has nowhere to go, they have a family waiting for them. It is the way of things.”

That had been stupidly comforting to hear. An utter relief. So he could return the gazes he felt on him from other Medjai men without fear. Not that he really wanted to. He didn’t feel like filling that hole with sex anymore. He was more than fulfilled with having a comfortable home and warm smiles.

Jonathan looked away from Ardeth and focused on Evie’s letter once more. He read through the last bit of the letter to himself. He only really read what he thought Ardeth would find amusing.

He grunted when he came to the end, wrinkling his nose. “Is something the matter?” Ardeth said, frowning at him, the parchment set aside.

Jonathan sighed and gave him a weak smile before clearing his throat and reading. “...and if  _ I  _ cannot come see you, and if you tell Ardeth about this, be sure to tell him that I blame him for that…”

He paused as both he and Ardeth chuckled. “... _ you  _ should come here. Just for a short time since I know you’ve been enjoying your time with the Medjai. I want my baby to know their uncle.”

Jonathan sighed again, dropping the page to his lap. He leaned against Ardeth’s side and stared down at the letter, skimming random words here and there.

Ardeth, the bastard, just waited patiently for him to start. Like he always did. It was the best way to worm anything out of Jonathan. “I don’t think--I’m not ready,” Jonathan said softly, closing his eyes. “I--I don’t want to go back.”

They both knew that he wasn’t talking entirely about England. Ardeth hummed in understanding and there was silence for a moment. “I could come with you.”

Jonathan snorted, shaking his head. “Oh no you don’t. You’re needed here in case those German’s get any bright ideas,” he said, giving Ardeth a small smile. 

Ardeth studied him for a moment before grinning back. “Well, we wouldn’t be anywhere without our translator.”

Jonathan raised an eyebrow before he began to catch on. “Might take a year, you think? Those Germans…” he wagged his finger sternly in the general direction of Europe and Ardeth laughed.

“Might take however long it needs to,” Ardeth said, giving Jonathan that damned, wonderful understanding look. 

Jonathan nodded his head and searched for some paper to write Evie back. “Right you are, old chap.”

Ardeth shook his head and picked up the agreement again as Jonathan stared at his own page, considering it for a long moment. 

Eventually, when he was sure that Ardeth was caught up in his own reading, he looked up and watched him. 

He knew what he was beginning to feel. He knew what it meant. That other thing he’d been afraid of when entering this tent was happening. But he was...content with it. It wasn’t all consuming like it had been in England.

There was no reason to hide here, to feel like he was giving too much away. There was no fear that he’d be killed for saying the wrong thing. The worst thing that could happen was that Ardeth said no and that would be that.

His feelings were still overwhelming, but they didn’t consume him with fear like they once had. Instead, he just felt them and that was all he needed. He didn’t feel the need to do anything about them. 

He was content, here. He was content with doing nothing and just living. If Ardeth came to him? Well. That’d be a different story. He’d seen Ardeth give appraising glances to both men and women. He knew for a fact that there was no one that shared Ardeth’s tent at night.

Still, he felt no need to rush into something dangerous. Because he had time and there was no danger. There was just existing.

It was peaceful.

Looking back down at his letter, he carefully wrote to his baby sister, apologizing a million times over. That he was  _ needed _ . He couldn’t not smile at how giddy that still made him.

Just like when he went to bed at night knowing he could, in fact sleep. He still woke up with terrors. Still struggled at times, but that tea Ardeth’s grandmother shoved down his throat nearly every night did wonders at keeping him asleep.

And Ardeth was there when he did wake up nearly screaming. He was still loud in the middle of a dream, but no one seemed too terribly bothered. His tent was right beside Ardeth’s, and he seemed to be the only one awoken by his fits.

That, by itself, bothered Jonathan at times, but Ardeth never seemed offended or annoyed. In fact, he looked relieved. Like he was afraid  _ Jonathan  _ would be bothered.

He blinked down at his letter and sighed. Once his begging for forgiveness and explanation was written out, there wasn’t much else to tell Evie. He didn’t do too much and not too much happened. And he wasn’t about to tell her about all of the attacks on the camp that reminded him all too much of a war torn trench.

Ardeth tried to keep him and the camp out of the fighting as much as possible, but with how insistent the Europeans were in their colonization, it was hard at times to avoid it. Jonathan had never hated that part of his heritage more than he did now.

But, when the time came, he didn’t run away any more. He fought back. He took up a gun and protected the kids. He learned how to wield a sword and knife. He learned how to shoot while riding a horse. He did his part, just like everyone else.

The consequences be damned.

He wasn’t going to tell her about the shawl and how happy he was that his third attempt was coming out somewhat decent. It was to be her birthday gift, after all.

Sometimes he’d have tales from the kids, some silly thing they’d done. Other times, there were celebrations he would go into great detail about because he knew Evie would want to know.

But there hadn’t been one of those in some time. Huffing, he leaned back and decided to finish the letter later, maybe when one of the stories Ardeth had told him about the temple they were nearby came to mind.

Right now, he felt restless and scooped up his shawl. Ardeth spared him a glance before smiling and returning to his reading. Ardeth and the rest of the camp had been rather impressed with how quickly he picked most trades. Weaving and knitting had been the hardest for him to grasp, but he was getting there.

“The scouts found an uncovered temple,” Ardeth said absently some time later. Jonathan was redoing one of the flowers in the shawl. 

He looked up, blinking confused at Ardeth for a moment, setting the shawl in his lap. “Oh? Do you know this one?”

Ardeth shook his head, holding the page out to Jonathan. “It is not on any of our maps, but we have a few guesses.”

Jonathan took the page and skimmed the hastily written Arabic. They’d only found the head of a Horus statue and a corner of the building. That could be anything. “Is it something nasty?”

Ardeth snorted, taking the paper back. “Not this time,” he said, setting the page aside. “Theoretically.”

“Oh, that sounds wonderful,” Jonathan snorted, smiling slightly when Ardeth shook his head. “I suppose we’ll ride out some time tomorrow to get a looksee?”

Ardeth nodded and held his arm up, giving a short, sharp whistle. From the corner of the room, Horus ruffled his feathers and flew over, looking rather grumpy at being woken up. 

He eyed Ardeth’s leather covered arm before flying towards Jonathan. Smirking, Jonathan lifted his own leather clad arm, letting Horus land.

He pet the bird’s soft chest and cooed at him. “Who's a good bird? Who likes me more than Ardeth?”

Horus fluffed up, looking rather smug as he leaned into Jonathan’s fingers. Ardeth narrowed his eyes at them, trying not to smile. 

Jonathan smirked back at him, feeling rather smug himself. Horus was a picky bird. He clawed at just about everyone except the two of them.

When it became quite clear that Jonathan was sticking around, Horus had studied him for a moment before fluffing his feathers and flapping his wings at him. At the time, he had absolutely no clue what such a mean bird could want from him.

Ardeth, noticing Horus’s actions had simply raised his arm and whistled. Horus flew over, hovered over Jonathan for a moment before flying back to his perch and repeated the motion.

It took them about five minutes before Ardeth realized what Horus wanted. Silently, and a little stunned, he took his glove and arm guard off and put it on Jonathan. Jonathan tried to protest as Ardeth held his arm up and Horus, pleased at being understood, flew over and landed on his arm.

He tilted his head from side to side like birds do, studying Jonathan who was leaning back, and squinting his eyes in a vain attempt to protect them. Horus ruffled his feathers again when Ardeth eventually let Jonathan’s arm go, leaving him on his own with the falcon.

Horus gave Jonathan a pointed look and, hesitantly, Jonathan raised his free hand and stroked Horus’s chest feathers as he’d seen Ardeth do a few times before. Horus cooed softly at him and leaned into his hand.

Since then, Horus was more content to sit on Jonathan’s arm than Ardeth. Jonathan was fairly certain it was because the falcon found his fear amusing where as Ardeth didn’t put up with Horus’s shit.

Now, if the other Medjai tribes doubted Jonathan and his place among them, all he had to do was raise his arm and whistle. They all knew how stubborn Horus was. How picky. It alleviated all of their worries.

Ardeth whistled again and held his arm out, giving Horus a pointed look. Begrudgingly, Horus transferred to his arm and let Ardeth pet his feathers. Jonathan sat back and smiled. 

Ardeth never out right cooed or baby talked Horus, but he would scrunch up his nose and make a soft noise similar to an owl’s hoot. Horus seemed to understand him and snuggled up easily when Ardeth petted his feathers.

It was unbelievably adorable. Unfairly so. Ardeth barely seemed aware that he was doing it. There was a lot of love between them which was something Jonathan hadn’t noticed until he started sitting with Ardeth like this.

Ardeth tucked a small note into the clasp on Horus’s leg and stood. He let the bird fly just outside the tent before returning to his desk. 

“We’ll bring some others with us and see if we can dig up more of this temple,” Ardeth said once he was seated again. 

“Or to cover it back over if it’s something nasty?” Jonathan said, grinning as Ardeth bumped their shoulders together.

“Of course,” Ardeth said, picking up his next report. He smiled when Jonathan laughed.

They settled into a comfortable silence, leaning against each other. Jonathan considered picking the shawl back up again then decided against it as Ardeth set his report down. They just leaned against each other and enjoyed the comforting warmth.


	4. One of the Drunks by Panic!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He hadn't had a dream like that in some time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!

The man’s face dropped in surprise as the spear slipped into his stomach. Blood didn’t gush out, it slowly seeped into the man’s white shirt around the spear. The man slowly looked down at the spear in his stomach then looked back up, almost confused.

He choked and blood bubbled out of his mouth, dribbling down his chin. Everything was moving so slowly. The man began to fall to his knees, eyes locked on another pair. Neither could understand the other. Couldn’t process what was happening.

The spear slipped out of the man slowly and with a sickening slurp. Blood gushed out now. It pushed out of the hole and splashed against the ground, seeping into the sand and clumping together. 

The shouting and fighting around them was muffled as they continued to stare at each other, breathing heavy. Only one bleeding out into the sand.

Eventually those eyes seemed to lose their light and the man fell, landing face first into the blood and sand. He stopped moving.

And, in a rush, the rest of the battle returned with deafening clarity. But for only a moment. In the next his eyes meet his father’s before he fell to his knees, a bullet hole in his chest. Blood didn’t gush, barely oozed. It just glistened on his robes. Sparkled in the light.

The light in his eyes was already gone. He shouted. Everything went white.

Ardeth shot up in bed without making a sound. His was breathing hard through his nose and his hand was on the hilt of his knife. He blinked into the darkness blankly for a few moments. He was soaked in sweat and shaking slightly. 

Taking a deep breath, he let the knife go and slumped, pulling his hands up to press against his eyes. 

He hadn’t had that dream in a long time. 

The last time he had it, actually, was after his mother’s funeral.

Taking a shaky breath. He considered waking his grandmother but decided against it. Then, for a moment, he considered Jonathan’s tent. But, if he was sleeping for a change, he didn’t want to disturb him.

He’d be alright. Just needed a moment.

Looking up, he surveyed his room and cringed. His father’s sword leaned against the wall. His father’s desk sat across from his bed roll. His father’s...everything loomed over him and he stood.

Years of practice kept his footsteps silent. The sand helped too. Creeping through the sea of tents didn’t make him feel any better. Everything reminded him of his father, be it something he had instituted or something Ardeth had changed when he became the leader of their group.

He went to the one place he could think of and hunkered down between the crates of food and cloth. He squeezed himself into the far back of their supply tent, the largest tent they had. The pathways were thin and cozy, the towering boxes weren’t anything special.

It was extremely dark, but that was alright. He wouldn’t have to look at anything. No one ever found him when he came here. Even his mother never discovered this particular hiding spot. He tried not to use it too often as a result.

He’d be alright here until he calmed. Until the sweat faded away along with the trembling. When his breathing was calm and smooth once more.

Here, he was safe.

Understandably, he was more than a little startled when a light suddenly started filling the little hallways. When feet shuffled against the sand. He curled up more and scooted behind one of the boxes, peaking past his knees to watch the light.

It wasn’t the most dignified of positions, but if he was going to fit all of him into this tiny space, there was no where else for his knees to go.

“Ardeth?”

Instantly, he relaxed. Jonathan sounded rather awake for how late it most certainly was. He probably had been struggling again. Ardeth hadn’t heard him so he must not have gone to bed to begin with.

“Ardeth? Are you in here?” Jonathan’s voice was low and rumbling. Like when he was trying to coax his horse to like him the first time they met.

Ardeth hesitantly scooted back out of his hiding place and stretched his legs out. “Jonathan?” He winced when his voice came out like gravel. 

There was a pause before Jonathan and the light came closer. He turned the corner, concern etched into his face. The low light from the lamp in his hand was  _ not  _ flattering. It lit up his face from a down angle, making him look almost possessed. He was relieved to see him regardless.

“There you are,” Jonathan said, smiling gently, although the lighting made it look harsh. “I heard you get up, but when you didn’t magically appear to yell at me I poked my head out in time to see you come in here.”

Ardeth watched Jonathan closely. He wanted to say something, anything. To be reassuring, but he just...didn’t have the strength. 

“And I know  _ you  _ think I don’t know about the beer barrels in here, but I do,” Jonathan continued, setting the lamp down between them before sitting himself. He crossed his legs and rested his elbows on his knees. “Someone let it slip it was here some celebration ago, I haven't tried any if you’re worried.”

Jonathan stared back at him, the lamps flame flickering. Jonathan’s face pinched when Ardeth couldn’t find the energy to say anything at all. “Nice and cozy in here, real tight.” He looked around them, patting one of the crates on his left. “Damn good hiding spot.”

Ardeth smiled and nodded his head slowly. He...wasn’t sure what he was feeling. Jonathan was something else to focus on, which was nice. He felt rather...empty. Drained. But not tired.

Jonathan studied him for a moment. He narrowed his eyes then nodded, as if understanding  _ exactly  _ what Ardeth was thinking and going through. “I bet you hid in here as a kid, yeah? Bet you won all of the hide and seek games.”

He paused, waiting for something. Hesitantly, Ardeth nodded and Jonathan smiled at him. “Thought so, you’re a clever one.” He sighed and leaned back on his hands. “Whenever you and the camp were near a temple, did you little ones go running to explore?”

Jonathan paused but didn’t wait for a nod this time. He grimaced slightly. “Hope I don’t ruin it for them, but these kids do. Sometimes they drag me along for the ride. Now, I  _ do  _ try to warn them that just my presence alone will cause the end of the world, but they won’t hear it.”

Ardeth found himself chuckling and Jonathan smiled, rolling his neck. “So if the end of the world comes, it’s not  _ my  _ fault. It isn’t even Evie’s!”

He looked back at Ardeth, tilting his head to the side. “Did you? Go exploring that is?”

He waited for and got a nod this time. “That’s good, I think.” Jonathan paused. “Granted, I kind of guessed. Some of the traps don’t work anymore. I wasn’t going to be the bearer of bad news when I sorted out they’d been broken long ago. The kids thought they did it.”

Some of the traps had been broken long before any of their time. His father told him that some adults had broken them because they knew that, no matter what they said, the kids were going to go exploring anyway.

“You ever think you started the apocalypse, doing that?” Jonathan said, pulling his knees up to lean his arms across them. “I know  _ I  _ would. Activate a trap that hadn’t been messed with, think I was bringing the entire place down.”

Ardeth chuckled again and Jonathan grinned at him, shrugging. “I know I thought that a few times when I was a kid.” He opened his mouth, stopped then pushed on. “Our father was an aristocrat who loved the arts. He’d donate and pilfer and give to museums all over the world. And he’d bring Evie and I with him, when we were small.”

Jonathan looked uncertain for only a moment before continuing. “This one time, we were in a museum here in Egypt. Evie was...oh, five or so? She went running off and I chased after her because our father wasn’t paying a damn bit of attention.” He took a deep breath, shaking his head slightly. “Anyways, she ends up finding the part where all of the mummies were laying.”

Ardeth snorted, giving Jonathan a pointed look. He chuckled. “I know! Foreshadowing if I’ve ever heard it. Anyways, she goes poking her grumby hands everywhere and we find that one of the cases holding relics wasn’t closed all the way.

“Of course, she grabs the first thing she sees before I can stop her.” Ardeth raised an eyebrow and Jonathan sighed, shrugging his shoulders. “I know! Well, one of the guards saw us and didn’t know who we were so he pulls the alarm.

“Damn thing was  _ loud _ ! Damn thing near blew my ears off,” Jonathan sneered, shivering slightly. “It was so loud it rumbled the cases! Everything was vibrating and shaking. We thought the world was ending.”

Jonathan smiled, almost fondly, down at the lamp, watching the flames flicker. “It was alright, in the end. Our Dad came and sorted the whole mess. Evie didn’t even get into trouble!”

The ‘but I did’ went unsaid and normally, Ardeth might have given Jonathan a look but tonight, it was a fond memory. A good story.

“You have anything like that?” Jonathan said, once he was out of the moment. He blinked at Ardeth a few times.

Ardeth thought for a moment, he could vaguely recall one time so he nodded. Jonathan pursed his lips then smirked. 

“Alright, let me guess…You and the other kids were running around in a temple.” He waited for a nod and when he got one, continued. “It was one of the ones where you  _ think _ something might be in it, but you’re not sure and you’re not gonna go looking to find out.”

Another nod and a growing smile. “Right, well. You and your hooligan pals--” Ardeth laughed, it was a word he’d never heard before meeting Jonathan. “You decided to go see if there  _ is  _ something to be had so you go deeper and deeper, keeping your eye out for traps.

“By some miracle, you’ve somehow dodged them all and you find a box?” Jonathan looked at him, pouting slightly when Ardeth shook his head. “Canopic jar? Tube? Bracelet? Necklace? Chest?” 

Each answer had another head shake and Jonathan huffed, narrowing his eyes at him for a moment, thinking. “A basket?” he said eventually and Ardeth finally nodded. Jonathan brightened and continued.

“Right, so you find a basket, it’s got odds and ends in it, nothing real big. You don’t see any traps so you pick it up.” Jonathan paused, letting his knees fall as he leaned forward. “Nothing happens, it’s not a big deal, then...everything starts to shake.”

Jonathan could be rather animated when he wanted. As he spoke, he raised his arms out parallel to the ground and shook them. “Sand is pouring from the ceiling a brick--” he waves his hand like its throwing something on the ground. “Falls to the floor! The lot of you are petrified.

“You drop the basket and  _ run _ .” He flattened his hand and swooped it away from him almost like a wave. “You’re falling all over each other, trying to remember where the exit is. The traps are the  _ least  _ of your worries.”

Honestly, Ardeth was impressed by how accurate Jonathan was. Then again, he knew people. He could understand them so well. Especially the kids. It was why they liked him so much, why they brought him along on their little adventures. They trusted him more than their own parents at times.

“You get lost, everyone is panicked and then you, the little leader you are, step up and remain calm,” Jonathan shot Ardeth a fond, warm smile. Ardeth nodded, even if it had been his best friend who’d taken that position. “You take stalk, remember the way out and lead everyone out. Just to find out…”

Jonathan paused, pursing his lips, considering. “It was just a dust storm?”

Ardeth nodded, hoping he was conveying how impressed he was with his smile. Jonathan’s eyes glowed brighter than the lamp. “How’d I do?” he said, settling back down.

“Nearly exactly right,” Ardeth found himself speaking before he could think about it. “I should have you tell all of my stories from now on.”

Jonathan laughed, scooting a bit closer. “Nah, you don’t want that. I’ll lie about all kinds of shite.”

Ardeth chuckled and they sat in silence. Jonathan shifted awkwardly in the quiet, but didn’t try to speak. Ardeth took a deep breath and soaked in the comfortable atmosphere. He didn’t know how long he normally sat here after a dream like that, but he was certain he’d never felt this  _ okay  _ after one. 

He closed his eyes and took a few more deep breaths. When he opened them again, there was Jonathan, watching him. His arms were draped across his knees again, his chin resting on his forearms. He got the distinct feeling that Jonathan didn’t like how tight the room was.

Normally, Jonathan spread out. When he sat at Ardeth’s desk, he lounged against the side. When he was knitting he spread his legs out and leaned back against the pillows.

Regardless, Jonathan sat there, watching him. He came into this place to make sure he wasn’t drowning himself like he did. 

Ardeth’s chest ballooned with warmth and he smiled at Jonathan. Fondness tugged at his heart, tried raising his arms and taking this man into a tight hug and not letting go.

Instead, he just stood, offering Jonathan his hand. “We should sleep,” he said, voice raspy and eyes dragging.

“Oh yes, that,” Jonathan said, grabbing the lamp then Ardeth’s hand and pulling himself to his feet. “I’ll try if you do.”

Ardeth chuckled and shook his head, heading for the door. “Agreed.”

Jonathan groaned playfully, before nudging their shoulders together. Ardeth chuckled and leaned his shoulder against Jonathan’s. They only parted to go to their own tents. 

Ardeth stood outside his tent, watching Jonathan slip into his own with a yawn. He...he was a man without many wants. He had everything he wanted. And he wanted with Jonathan. He wanted a number of things but he could wait.

Jonathan was the first outsider to come to their camp and not make a face at how they treated love and relationships. He was the first to be welcomed so openly and warmly. He wasn’t the first that made Ardeth’s heart bloom like it was now, but he was certainly the first where Ardeth could  _ try _ .

Yet, he wouldn’t. Not yet. Something like this, he wasn’t sure if either of them were ready for it. 

So, as he slipped into his tent and obeyed the call of his bed, he knew he could wait patiently. 


	5. High Hopes by Panic!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Traveling to England was a grating process.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!

“Alex’s first birthday is this month,” Jonathan said, almost shocked. Evie’s letter rested on Ardeth’s desk in front of him. His hand went idle against Horus’s feathers as he stared at the words. 

A deep seeded ache burned in his chest. Ardeth looked up from the reports from other Medjai to study him. “It  _ has _ been a year since he was born.”

Jonathan slowly looked at Ardeth before twisting around and holding Horus out to his perch. The falcon huffed before going, lifting off of Jonathan's arm and settling down again. His feathers were fluffed up and he glared at them before cleaning his wing.

Jonathan looked back down at the letter then frowned at Ardeth. “Hadn’t realized so much time had passed…”

He ran his fingers over the words. Evie had a terrible habit of writing too hard. He could feel the indents her pen made on the paper. Ardeth set the report down and waited. Jonathan shot him a sheepish smile that he answered with a calm one. 

They waited there in silence for a few minutes before Jonathan took a deep, fortifying breath. “Do you think...Do you think a one year old in England would like a hoop and stick?”

Ardeth laughed and Jonathan ducked his head to chuckle, picking the letter up. The kids made their own toys and games. Sometimes Jonathan would remember an old card game or would coach the kids through football or cricket. But most of the toys involved were hand made. Most of the kids made their own dolls out of fabric and cotton or beans or even sand. 

“You have your knitting,” Ardeth said, nodding his head beside Jonathan. After finishing scarves for most of the camp, Jonathan moved onto baby blankets. There had been three births in the past two months. He was now making extra just in case. 

Jonathan looked down at the small blanket. He was nearly finished with it. Ardeth’s grandmother had shown him a more complicated stitch that was more like crocheting than knitting. It’d taken him weeks just to get the stitch started in a way he liked.

Picking the blanket up, he set it in his lap and ran his fingers over the shell pattern. “I think he’d want something a little bigger than this.”

“Toddlers are still small,” Ardeth said, smiling at Jonathan. He leaned his elbow on the table and looked down at the blanket. “And that’s larger than the others you’ve done.”

Jonathan snorted, watching his fingers ghost over the blanket. “Do you think…” Jonathan’s face twisted awkwardly for a moment. “Alright, I know this will sound silly, but I’ll be allowed back, right?”

Ardeth leaned back, eyes wide with surprise. “Of course. You’re one of us,” he said, reaching out and gently squeezing Jonathan’s wrist.

Clasping his hand on top of Ardeth’s, he gave him a sheepish smile. “Another silly question, but would you be able to come with me?”

Ardeth smiled and nodded, squeezing his wrist again. “I’d be honored.”

Traveling to England was a grating process. After traveling out of the desert, they had to hold up in Cairo until they could book a train to England. Even then, the trip they managed to swing required them to first get on a boat to another city before finally getting on the train.

After so long in the desert, the city ground on Jonathan’s nerves. It was so  _ loud _ . There were so many  _ people _ . No wonder he’d picked up drinking. It made everything numb.

And perhaps he was a little worried about it. The drinking, that was. He hadn’t touched alcohol since Ardeth dragged him out into the sand. Despite how good a drink sounded, he didn’t even look at the bars they passed.

The first time they walked past one, Jonathan was almost confused as to why people were basically pouring out of a seemingly random store. It wasn’t until Ardeth was pushing him a little faster along by the small of his back that he realized that it was the same bar Ardeth found him in.

In fact, he barely recognized anything. He’d spent so long drunk off his dumb ass that he hadn’t committed any of his former abode to memory. 

It was...an odd feeling. Like deja vu. The sensation that he’d been there before nagged at him, yet he had no memories of ever being there. The terror that filled him at that realization, that he  _ had  _ physically been there before and remembered almost none of it, kept him from even considering getting a drink.

“Are you alright?” Ardeth muttered to him late one night. Neither of them were sleeping well and the cheapest room they could get only had single beds. Since neither of them were willing to budge on who would sleep on the floor, they both crammed onto the bed and stared at the ceiling, begging for the damn noise to stop.

Jonathan considered Ardeth’s warmth all along his right side and the constant drone of the city and the cracks in the ceiling. “No?”

Ardeth stiffened beside him and he quickly continued. “I--I didn’t realize how much I hate the city...and how much of it I don’t really remember.”

Ardeth was still tense and Jonathan closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. “It’s bloody terrifying, if I’m going to be honest.”

An arm flung itself over his waist and tucked him against Ardeth’s chest. Pressing his nose against Ardeth’s collar bone, he took slow deep breaths. He didn’t feel like he was panicking, but it could happen.

“We won’t be here long,” Ardeth mumbled against his forehead. “You don’t--”

“Oh, heaven’s no,” Jonathan coughed a laugh, curling his fingers in Ardeth’s robes. “I’d rather walk into the desert and hope I find an oasis than take another drink.”

Ardeth smiled against him and they eventually fell asleep still tangled like that. It was anything but a restful sleep. Exhausted, they boarded their boat and hunkered down in their room, hoping for a nap and ending up reading (Ardeth) and knitting (Jonathan).

By the time they finally got onto the train, Jonathan had not only finished Alex’s blanket but had started on a second larger one and was halfway through making it. The stress of all of the bustle and noise quieted when he was working so he kept at it.

Ardeth paid attention to where they needed to be and when. It was just easier that way. He didn’t like it any more than Jonathan did, but it wasn’t making him exceedingly anxious.

The train was a little quieter. Hardly any noise beside quiet murmuring and the train whirling and running. Jonathan, now out of boredom more than anything else, kept working. Ardeth and the little old lady sitting across from them watched his fingers fly over and through the yarn. The wooden hook snagged on the yarn every so often but with practiced ease, Jonathan flicked his wrist and freed it, all without breaking his speed or stitches.

“I’ve never seen someone crochet as fast as you do, dear,” the woman said when Jonathan set the blanket down to rub his aching finger joints. 

Blinking at her in surprise, he smiled sheepishly. “Ah, well. Years of practice!”

Ardeth snorted and shook his head, looking away when Jonathan shot him an amused glare. The woman smiled at them, eyes darting between them. If Jonathan didn’t know better, he would think she seemed to know something they didn’t. “It’s a beautiful stitch.”

“His grandmother taught me,” Jonathan said, elbowing Ardeth in the side. “Took me weeks to get it right.”

The woman nodded, folding her hands in her lap. “Well, you seem to have it now.”

They didn’t speak for the rest of the ride, but that old woman kept giving them knowing looks. Jonathan tried not to worry about it too much, but, well. He ended up finishing the blanket in record time and then ran out of yarn.

When they got off the train in London, Ardeth pointed the woman out. She was hugging another old woman tightly. They had tears in their eyes and very carefully made sure to only kiss each other on the cheek. That alleviated his worries a little and, when she met eyes with them, they both waved.

Jonathan had sent Evie a letter ahead of them, telling her they would be coming but he was uncertain when they would be arriving in London. Evie seemed to take that as ‘drag Rick to the train station whenever a train from their part of the world arrived’.

Jonathan was rather stunned to walk out of the station and have his arms suddenly full of his little sister struggling not to cry. He blinked at Rick over her head before laughing and hugging her back tightly.

Rick shook Ardeth’s hand as Jonathan tried to make out whatever it was that Evie was muttering to him against his shoulder.

“Hey, old mum. How’ve you been?” he said, laughing when he got a light slap to the shoulder and a red eyed pout.

He smiled at Evie and she caved, smiling back and wiping her eyes. “It’s good to see you, Jonathan.”

“You too,” Jonathan chuckled, hugging her again before turning to Rick and offering him his hand. “Raise any more dead or do you only do that when I’m around?”

Rick snorted and shook Jonathan’s hand. “Pickpocket any other poor idiots from the desert?”

Jonathan raised his free hand in surrender and a good laugh went through them all. Ardeth was surprised when Evie nearly tackled him in a hug next but he awkwardly hugged her back all the same.

Jonathan, out of the corner of his eye, saw Evie say something to Ardeth who got a serious yet amused look on his face. Making a mental note to ask about that later, he roughly patted Rick on the shoulder and smirked when he managed to put him off balance for a moment.

“So, how’s the old estate?” Jonathan said as Rick stared at him in relative surprise. Apparently Evie wasn’t reading his letters to him.

The Carnahan estate was as dreary as Jonathan remembered. He frowned at the high castle-like walls and dark windows. He didn’t doubt for a second that Evie kept all of their father’s collected junk. 

He also didn’t doubt, from how Rick was talking, that the wine collection was missing a few bottles, something that had to have their father rolling in his grave.

He and Ardeth trailed slightly behind Rick and Evie after they left Rick’s prized car. “I think Evie renovated some of it,” he said to Ardeth, looking up at a spire that didn’t look ready to topple any minute like he remembered.

Ardeth glanced at him then at the castle, studying it. “That’s a lot of room for three people.”

“Three people and two butlers and a maid,” Jonathan muttered, wrinkling his nose. He never really thought about the estate that way before. It always seemed big yet confining at the same time. Now it just seemed so...big. Who needed so many things?

Turning to Ardeth, he smiled tiredly. “I do believe I remember how to navigate this maze, stick close.”

Ardeth smiled and bumped their shoulders together before staying close enough for them to press together, shoulder to shoulder. “Very well. I’ll trust you to not get us lost, only this once.”

Jonathan groaned, throwing his hands up. “I get us lost  _ once _ and I never live it down!”

“You got the entire camp lost only two miles from the oasis we were looking for,” Ardeth said, shaking his head. Evie and Rick had realized they weren’t right behind them and waited for them to catch up. “You  _ circled  _ the oasis twice before Jamila realized what was happening and took over.”

Before Jonathan could defend himself, Rick snorted. “How in the world did you manage that?”

“Oh, Jonathan has always been rubbish at directions,” Evie said, smiling sweetly up at Jonathan when he shot her a glare. She turned to Ardeth and chuckled. “Did he ever tell you about the time he somehow ended up in France after drinking with his mates?”

“Yes, actually,” Ardeth said, smiling at Jonathan and gently elbowing him when he kept glaring at all of them. “That’s why Jamila thought she could teach him how to read a compass and map.”

Evie laughed in surprise while Rick gave Jonathan an amused look and Jonathan threw his arms up. “Why did I bring you?” he said to Ardeth, eyes grinning although he was pouting.

“So you wouldn’t get lost.” Ardeth knew it was a setup, he knew that Jonathan knew he’d play along. And, just as planned, both Evie and Rick laughed and relaxed. The tension that had been in their shoulders since they picked them up disappeared.

Whatever fears and worries they’d had were alleviated. And Jonathan grabbed Ardeth’s hand just behind their backs for a moment and squeezed. Ardeth squeezed back before placing his hand on the small of his back and nudging him forward. 

“He’s so small,” Jonathan murmured once they were seated in one of the  _ many  _ seating rooms in the house. Evie had talked their ears off about her work at multiple museums while Rick went and got Alex. 

When he brought him down, he had Alex sitting on one arm. His little fingers were in his mouth, his big blue eyes staring at all of them in interest. 

Ardeth chuckled and nudged him to get off the couch. “So are the children back home. You’ll be fine.”

Jonathan shot Ardeth a shaky smile before standing and walking over to Rick and Alex. “Well hello there! I’m your Uncle, nice to meet you.”

He offered Alex his hand and Alex gave him a wide eyed look. Just like the kids at the camp. And, just like the kids at camp, he giggled when Jonathan took his hand anyway and shook it so much that he nearly vibrated right out his dad’s arms.

“Look at you!” Jonathan said, looking at Rick as he held his arms out, ready to take him the moment he was allowed. 

Rick eyed him for a moment before glancing at Evie. Jonathan didn’t look away from Rick, but he smirked when he got a begrudging nod.

Scooping Alex up, he propped him on his hip, the two of them smiling brightly at each other. “You look just like your mum!”

Alex giggled as Jonathan bounced and moved. Carefully planned steps swayed them around the room until he came back to the couch Ardeth was sitting on. Rick hovered after them, watching Jonathan critically.

Evie pulled him to sit as Jonathan plopped down next to Ardeth, settling Alex comfortably on his lap. “Giggle like her too!” he said, tickling Alex’s sides.

As the toddler squealed and kicked his little feet, Rick seemed to relax slightly but kept a close eye on them. Evie just smiled knowingly. She knew how much Jonathan actually adored kids. Often told him it was because he was one.

“Now, this,” Jonathan said, turning both himself and Alex around to look at Ardeth. “Is Ardeth.”

Alex gave Ardeth a big eyed, curious look and Ardeth chuckled, offering Alex his hand. “We’ve heard quite a bit about you.” he said as Alex excitedly placed his hand in Ardeth’s.

Ardeth, almost as if he was obliged to do so, quickly shook Alex’s hand just like Jonathan had, making the toddler laugh yet again. 

Jonathan shared a grin with Ardeth before turning around again. “Well done, you two,” he said, grinning at the parents. “He’s  _ adorable _ .”

After a few minutes of talking, telling stories that letters couldn’t do justice, Jonathan brightened suddenly and held a finger up before Evie could ask what was wrong.

Ardeth handed him his bag when he looked around for it and he quickly pulled out the first, smaller blanket. “Here you go, Alex!” he said, draping the bright yellow blanket over Alex’s lap. 

Alex gasped and quickly scooped the blanket up, running his pudgy fingers over the stitches. Jonathan smiled before pulling out the second blanket. It was also yellow but much larger than the other. “And this is for when he’s older,” he said, handing the blanket to Evie. “It was...a bit stressful getting here.”

Evie inhaled sharply as she took the blanket, fondly running her fingers over the stitches. “It’s beautiful,” she breathed, smiling softly at the yarn. “Thank you.”

“You really made these?” Rick said, sounding almost impressed. Actually, that look on his face said he  _ was  _ impressed.

“Yes I did,” Jonathan said, smirking when Rick snorted. “And if anything comes undone, let me know, send it to me or something, and I’ll fix it right up.”

Evie gave Jonathan a watery smile and launched off of the couch to hug him, almost dropping the blanket in the process and smooshing Alex between them slightly. 

Ardeth smoothly pulled Alex free and set him on his lap, telling him all about how he and Jonathan traveled the vast desert to get there (he may have picked up a thing or two about storytelling from Jonathan) while Rick just managed to catch the larger blanket, shaking his head fondly.

That night, Jonathan was staring at the ceiling of his old bedroom. Ardeth was given his own room not far away, just down the hall.

Despite the estate being relatively far from the rest of the city, it was still unbelievably loud. It creaked and groaned. There were more bugs than he was used to screeching outside. 

He also couldn’t bare to look anywhere in his room. He knew that there were bottles of wine and beer under loose floorboards. They hadn’t moved since he had left. 

The marks of his childhood lined the walls and furniture. Awards that never felt truly rewarding lined the top of his book shelf. A desk still coated in decades old school work rested beside another book case bursting with books he never read.

After about an hour of attempting to sleep despite the heavy air pressing on his chest, he got up and refused to look around the room. He hadn’t realized that he’d picked up the Medjai’s magically quiet feet until he was walking down the hallway without making a sound. 

He hesitated for only a moment in front of Ardeth’s door before knocking softly. It was only moments later when the door opened and Ardeth gave him an exhausted smile. _ “You can’t sleep either?” _ Ardeth muttered in Arabic, reaching up to rub his eyes.

_ “Not a wink,” _ Jonathan answered back, slipping into the room, catching his arm around Ardeth’s waist to tug him behind him.

Ardeth laughed lightly, quickly and quietly shutting the door and letting himself be pulled towards the bed.  _ “Are you alright?” _

That made Jonathan pause. He turned, arm still wrapped around Ardeth and studied his face for a moment.  _ “Yeah. I think I’m alright.” _

Ardeth nodded and rested his forehead against Jonathan’s shoulder.  _ “Good. We should sleep.” _

Jonathan smiled fondly at Ardeth and pulled them to fall against the bed. Ardeth laughed tiredly and pressed into Jonathan’s chest once they settled.

Jonathan hadn’t realized how...unsettled he’d been feeling until the pressure was gone. Closing his eyes, he could finally feel like he could sleep peacefully.


	6. In One Ear by Cage the Elephant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> About eighty percent of what Alex was trying to tell them was incomprehensible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!

About eighty percent of what Alex was trying to tell them was incomprehensible. He just babbled on, mostly to himself, as they waited for a cab to pick them up and take them home. 

Ardeth, Gods love him, was paying rapt attention to a story he could barely understand, Alex propped up on his hip. Jonathan tiredly sat on the bench they found at the end of the shopping area.

Jonathan tried to keep up, but he was lost somewhere back when the great knight entered the desert and when he ended up under the ocean. And everything in between there didn’t really seem to be words.

Regardless, Ardeth seemed to know exactly what was going on, asking small questions here and there. It made Jonathan’s chest balloon with that fondness he found in the desert. Shaking his head, he focused on the road, looking for the car, ignoring the odd looks they were getting.

Two men, one of whom was clearly not white while the other was questionable at best, with a white kid. Which was why he absolutely hated being out on the town when they visited. Evie, however, was insistent. And Alex never liked being cooped up in the house. And Ardeth had that wide eyed curiosity about him even though it’d turn into a wrinkled nose eventually.

So Jonathan sucked it up and showed them all of the best stores and places to meander. Places of his young adulthood. And if Ardeth pointedly didn’t look at the crowded bars that accompanied these lines of shops, well, Jonathan pretended he didn’t notice.

“Uncle Jon!” Alex gasped, bouncing in Ardeth’s arms and reaching out towards him. 

Jonathan gave him a giant grin and stood, easily taking Alex and rocking them in a circle just to hear the kid laugh. “What is it, my wonderful nephew?”

“Story?” Alex giggled out, holding onto Jonathan’s coat as he kept spinning them, humming in thought.

“Well,” Jonathan said, shooting Ardeth a wink when they turned to face him. Ardeth nearly immediately narrowed his eyes, trying not to smile. “You know how Uncle Ardeth is a strong Medjai.”

“Yeah!” Alex said, clapping his hands and looking excitedly between his uncles.

“Well, did you know...” Jonathan gently tapped Alex’s nose as he dropped back down onto the bench. Shoes were killer on the feet after so long of running around with cloth boots and bare feet. “That he was once little like you?”

“No!” Alex gasped, looking up at Ardeth in wonder. 

“Oh dear,” Ardeth sighed, sitting beside Jonathan, shaking his head. His feet had to be faring the worst. 

“It’s true!” Jonathan said, hugging Alex lightly. “He almost brought down all of Egypt way back when.”

Alex, of course, demanded the story right there and then and it was Ardeth’s turn to look out for the cab. He also shuttled them into it when it arrived and only rolled his eyes fondly twice. Clearly, Jonathan wasn’t being wild enough with his story. That, or Ardeth was becoming used to him.

By the time they arrived at the estate, Alex was fast asleep between them and Jonathan felt like he wasn’t that far behind. His eyes drooped and even Ardeth looked like he was dragging as they hauled themselves up far too many steps in the manor.

Ardeth hesitantly handed off the gifts they spoiled Alex with off to the maid, wrinkling his nose as he always did when she turned away. He didn’t like the house. Didn’t like how the estate worked. Didn’t like making other people do simple things for him.

Honestly, Jonathan didn’t like it either. Not any more. It felt like a horrible waste, but well. This was England, not the vast desert of Egypt. The world was different.

“I’m going to take him up,” Jonathan said softly, Alex flopped against him, arms dangling and little baby snores leaving him. “Meet you in the sitting room? Evie and Rick should be back soon.”

“Very well,” Ardeth said, pressing his hand against Jonathan’s back and giving him a tired smile. “Please be quick. I don’t want your sister cornering me again.”

Jonathan winced and nodded. “Like the wind,” he said, hurrying toward the stairs, Ardeth laughing after him.

Evie discovered that they tended to share the guest room Ardeth was given about two days ago when she went to wake Jonathan and didn’t find him in his room. Since then, she had managed to corner the both of them separately a handful of times demanding answers. 

And the answers never satisfied her. Jonathan was nearly completely certain she heard something else entirely different when he said that they just...weren’t ready. They’d talked about it. At length. And he just...wasn’t ready for something like that. 

Ardeth, the amazing man he was, understood. Didn’t feel ready himself. Was comfortable with where they were now and so, honestly, was Jonathan. The only one who didn’t seem alright with it was Evie, but well. Her opinion bared no weight on the matter.

Shaking his head Jonathan slipped into Alex’s room and tucked him in with both blankets he made him oh so long ago. The kid slept like the dead and he had become rather good at not waking those sort these past years. Alex didn’t even stir as Jonathan laid him down and gently closed the door behind him.

The front door slamming open and Evie and Rick loudly chatting made him wince and very glad that most rooms were sound proof.

He quickly headed for the doors to distract them before Evie could corner Ardeth. She’d gotten it into her head the last time she cornered Jonathan that Ardeth was...less than kind about their whole not-a-thing...thing. Which wasn’t what Jonathan said. In fact, he said the exact opposite of that but, well. 

He was forever grateful that Evie was so accepting and willing to help with all of this but he  _ really  _ wished she wouldn’t.

“Evie!” he said at the top of the stairs before smoothly sitting on the banister and sliding down. Rick rolled his eyes but he didn’t grind his teeth when Jonathan did that anymore. “How was the museum?”

“Oh, it was wonderful!” Evie said, laughing as Jonathan pulled her into a little bit of a walts, giving Ardeth plenty of time to join them. 

“And you, Rick? Have any fun?” Jonathan said, smirking at his brother-in-law who actually gave him an honest smile rather than a grimace. 

“I fell asleep.” He didn’t bother dodging the light slap Evie sent to his shoulder. “Twice.”

“He  _ snored! _ ” Evie huffed, glaring at Rick as Jonathan lead them through one last twirl before letting her go to her husband. Right on time, a warm hand rested on Jonathan's lower back and he smiled at Ardeth.

“It  _ is  _ yet another lecture on that monster we raised, old mum.” Jonathan said, bumping shoulders with Ardeth. “How many do you think a man can sit through before becoming extraordinarily bored with the end of the world?”

Jonathan didn’t bother dodging the slap to his shoulder either, sharing a look with Rick as Evie attempted to scold them.

Ardeth simply shook his head at them all, still amazed that Evie was lecturing about something so horrible.

“...and they’re going to give me funding to go back and do some more digs!” Evie said as they all tuned back into her.

Rick gave Jonathan and Ardeth an apologetic look as they both snapped their heads to stare at her. “They’re what?” Ardeth said slowly, going tense.

Evie, oblivious to their stares, was staring off in the direction in Egypt, her mind already there, digging in the sand.

Jonathan was right there with her, begging her to stop because she was standing on a death pit. A place even the Medjai didn’t tread. “Evie,” Jonathan said, loud enough to startle her out of her day dreaming. “Where,  _ exactly  _ do they want you to dig?”

Evie blinked at him, almost, Gods doom them all, confused. “Well, any forgotten or mythical site we can find.”

Jonathan closed his eyes and blindly reached for Ardeth who grabbed his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Do you mean...the kind we look after?”

“Yes?” Evie said slowly, still confused. 

“Oh, baby sister, no,” Jonathan sighed, opening his eyes and frowning at Evie. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Ardeth’s growing horror at the mess she could cause. “We can’t let you do that.”

Evie huffed, folding her arms and pouting at them. “Why not? I’m sure there are at least  _ some  _ temples that are harmless.”

Jonathan and Ardeth shared a look then looked at Rick who looked away and  _ almost  _ started whistling like he wasn’t paying attention. “Miss O’Connell,” Ardeth started and Jonathan saw both his sister and Rick tense. It took some time for Ardeth to stop addressing them like that and even then, he still did it when he was tired. “If we protect a site, it was most likely a danger to anyone involved. There are  _ some  _ where we are uncertain of their risk level but we do not press the issue for a reason.”

“There are some we  _ don’t  _ protect,” Jonathan said quickly before Evie could turn any redder and explode on them. “We use them as landmarks.”

Evie paused and considered Jonathan for a moment before folding her arms. “And they are untouched?”

Jonathan opened his mouth and didn’t have a good answer. Ardeth groaned and held his hand a little tighter. “Then they’re not what we’re looking for!” Evie huffed, throwing her hands up. “I’m not going to end the world again! We know better now.”

“Hmmm.” Jonathan pressed his lips into a fine line and twisted his face. “Evie, we’re trouble magnets. They still won’t let  _ me  _ go near some places. What makes you think they’ll let you?”

Evie sputtered for a moment and Rick chose then to swoop in. “Tea? Coffee? Cookies? We have those. Thanks for looking after Alex today, how was it?” he said, trying his best to smile while his wife fummed beside him.

Jonathan gave Rick an over exaggerated exhausted look which got the man to at least chuckle a little. “It was endearing, to the sitting room?”

They got to the point where they got Alex  _ another  _ pip hat when Evie started demanding to know what temples they specifically protected. Rick or Jonathan would eventually steer the conversation somewhere else before Evie and Ardeth could tackle each other to the ground. Eventually, however, one or both of them would bring it back.

“You know,” Jonathan said as he closed the door to their room behind them. Both he and Rick decided it would be wise to turn in early for the night. “If you just didn’t respond to her, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

Ardeth glared at Jonathan from where he was pacing the length of the room, hands tightly clenched into fists at his side. Not for the first time, Jonathan was unsettled to see Ardeth out of his robes. He wore them at the estate, but out on the town he drew more unwanted attention with them.

Most of Jonathan’s suits were too long on him so they went and got a suit specifically for these visits for him. It was odd to see him in European clothing. In a suit jacket and crisp white shirt. Jonathan had insisted on making the jacket and pants black. The seamstress was going to put him in whites and grays and it just wouldn’t look right.

Even now, his pacing seemed to lack it’s usual concerning swish of his robes. Didn’t make him any less concerned but it felt less severe somehow.

_ “She would disregard us no matter what we said!”  _ Ardeth grit out through his teeth in Arabic.  _ “At least, if we’re there, we can prevent something catastrophic from happening!” _

_ “And it would be quite nice to know what's in some of those temples,”  _ Jonathan said simply, shaking his head when Ardeth stopped and shot him a guilty look.  _ “It’s not really worth the handful they’ll be.” _

Ardeth huffed a sigh and let himself relax slightly.  _ “What else did I promise? I’m struggling to remember.” _

Jonathan smirked and pulled his jacket off, tossing it onto one of the sitting chairs before dropping down onto the bed.  _ “Oh, just that you’d guide them. Alone. Since it would be safer to have Alex in camp.” _

Ardeth’s eyes went wide and then pure agony crossed his face as he crumpled onto the bed beside Jonathan, putting his head into his hands.  _ “And you?” _

_ “I offered to babysit,”  _ Jonathan said, smirking when Ardeth groaned louder.  _ “You did this to yourself.” _

Ardeth sat up and  _ pouted  _ at him.  _ “Please, for the love of all that is good, don’t leave me alone with them.” _

Jonathan hummed, tapping his finger against his chin.  _ “Hmmmm. I think Alex will have a wonderful time with my classes, don’t you think? I have to be there!” _

Ardeth narrowed his eyes then tackled Jonathan to the bed. Jonathan rolled his eyes and refused to struggle, making Ardeth pout at him again. He laid beside him frowning at him, his hair falling out of the elastic Jonathan had pulled it back into that morning. 

_ “Your sister and I will kill each other,” _ Ardeth said and Jonathan shrugged.

_ “You’d have to get through Rick first.”  _ Jonathan said, smiling as Ardeth huffed. He’d fold. They both knew he would. With or without a little pushing. 

Ardeth studied Jonathan’s face, trying to decide if he really wanted to do the pushing or do nothing and just wait for Jonathan to cave.

He didn’t have to wait long. Rolling his eyes, Jonathan turned onto his side and pulled the elastic from Ardeth’s hair.  _ “Oh fine. Alex will want to go with them anyway.” _

Ardeth gave him a blinding smile and Jonathan laughed lightly, letting himself to be pulled into a tight hug. 


	7. The Middle by Jimmy Eat World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The O'Connell's drop by for a visit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!

Ardeth had to figure out who, exactly, it was that was telling Rick how to get into contact with them. They were getting letters through their normal channels now. Who could he possibly be asking them about their whereabouts? He and Jonathan were just discussing when Evie and Rick would finally come to Egypt in Ardeth’s tent when there were excited shouts before Jamila poked her head into the tent and informed them that the O’Connell’s were there.

_ “It’s a great surprise, you two!”  _ Jamila said as they followed her out of the tent.  _ “The camp had no idea!”  _ Yes, well. Neither did they. Even Jonathan looked confused so he definitely didn’t neglect to inform Ardeth they were coming.

“Evie!” Jonathan said when they made it to the front of the crowd surrounding the O’Connell’s.

“Jonathan!” Evie laughed, trying to untangle herself from the children. Alex was in his father’s arms, looking at everything with a wide eyed wonder.

As the siblings hugged, Ardeth folded his arms and gave Rick a questioning look. Rick, at least, had the politeness to look sheepish. “She thought it’d be a nice surprise,” he said, nodding awkwardly to some of the men who clapped him on the shoulder.

Ardeth rolled his eyes before just taking Alex from him. Alex was only momentarily startled before he realized who was holding him. “Uncle Ardeth!” he said, hugging Ardeth around the neck. “We went on a boat! And a train!”

“Did you?” Ardeth said, smiling at Alex and ignoring the piercing stare of his grandmother. No one wanted him and Jonathan to finally be together more than she did. She wanted great grandchildren.

“Oh Evie.” Jonathan sounded rather exhausted and when Ardeth looked over at him, he certainly looked it. He and Evie were surrounded by the kids (who were all demanding to know if the stories Jonathan told were true) and most of the woman (who were demanding to know where Evie learned to fight).

“What?” Evie huffed, folding her arms and frowning at Jonathan. “You and Ardeth promised the last time you were home.”

Ardeth kept Alex in his vision, but his ears were trained on Jonathan sighing and rubbing at his forehead. Jamila emerged from the crowd to squeezed Jonathan’s shoulder, speaking lowly.  _ “You alright?”  _ she said and Jonathan puffed a laugh.

_ “Fine, can you make sure Evie doesn’t touch anything for me?”  _ he said, grinning as Jamila laughed. He ignored the confused noises Evie was making between telling the woman that she didn’t really know how to fight.

Ardeth waded towards the edge of the crowd. They weren’t particularly interested in him and Alex anyway. Jonathan met them there, smiling brightly for Alex.

“Uncle Jon!” Alex said, waving his arms to be taken.

“Alex! How’s my favorite nephew? You ride around on a train?” Jonathan said as he scooped Alex up and swung him around slightly before hugging him.

Alex giggled then leapt right into a long explanation of the train and boats and camels.  _ “What’s wrong?”  _ Ardeth asked softly as they both half listened to Alex.

_ “They wish to stay for the night before leaving Alex here with me and having you take them to a dig,”  _ Jonathan mumbled back, brushing some sand from Alex’s hair.  _ “It’s fine that they stay, I’m assuming?” _

_ “Of course,”  _ Ardeth said, grinning when Alex nearly punched the both of them in his effort to gesture how big the camels were.  _ “Please don’t--” _

_ “I won’t,”  _ Jonathan lightly laughed, hefting Alex onto his hip so he could free a hand to grab Ardeth’s. 

“And then we got here! What’d you guys talk about?” Alex said, still smiling as he tilted his head to the side.

“About where you’ll be staying,” Jonathan said, laughing lightly. “You and your mum and dad will be staying with me.”

Alex suddenly wrinkled his nose and folded his arms looking, terrifyingly, like Evie. “They said I have to stay in camp.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that!” Jonathan said and Ardeth squeezed his hand. “You and I will sneak along.”

“We will?” Alex gasped before looking at Ardeth with wide eyes and slapping his hands over his mouth. 

Jonathan chuckled and leaned closer to whisper to the both of them. “Don’t tell your mum, but Ardeth’s our inside man. He’ll be helping us sneak along.”

Alex’s eyes shined brightly as he smiled at his uncles. “Awesome,” he whispered and Ardeth couldn’t not laugh.

There was barely a moment for them to inform Evie and Rick of the change in plans. Just like when Jonathan was first brought to the camp, they were constantly swamped by the Medjai. Jonathan kept Alex and the kids distracted for the most part, especially since the kids were all fascinated with each other.

Jamila took charge of Evie while Ardeth dragged Rick around the camp. He attempted, a handful of times, to tell him about the change, but someone would come up to ask Rick about uncovering the creature or killing it.

By the end of the day, they were all exhausted, but tucked away into Jonathan’s tent. Jonathan was leaning against his ‘knitting’ corner as he called it. It was mostly just a few pillows stacked up in  _ just  _ the right way. Alex fast asleep in his lap with his yellow blanket wrapped tightly around him. Jonathan had, the moment Ardeth was in reach, dragged him to sit next to him so he could lean against him.

Ardeth had Horus on one arm and Jonathan leaning on the other so he tried to keep himself still but he was simply too amused to not puff out a laugh or two. Evie and Rick were leaning up against each other across from them, looking rather drained, one of the pillows from the pile stuffed behind them to keep them upright.

“Right,” Jonathan said softly, trying to brush more sand out of Alex’s hair. “There’s been a change of plans.”

“We’ll  _ all  _ be coming with you,” Ardeth said quickly, before Evie could lean off of Rick and cause a problem.

“What? No!” Evie said, sitting up anyway. “It’s too dangerous for Alex!”

“The kids go into these temples and ruins all of the time, Evie. And at much younger than Alex is,” Jonathan said, gesturing vaguely towards Ardeth. “Hell,  _ he  _ went into them as a tyke.”

“Many of the traps are disabled,” Ardeth said when he was given surprised looks. “The ones I will be taking you to might have nothing at all within them.”

Evie complained about that for some time, but neither Ardeth nor Jonathan were willing to budge on it. Eventually, Rick agreed just so they could sleep. 

“We shall leave early tomorrow,” Ardeth said from the doorway after he untangled from Jonathan. He had just sent Horus out to inform Jamila of the plan. 

“I’ll wake them up,” Jonathan said before Ardeth could ask. They shared small smiles. “Just get the horses ready.”

Ardeth nodded and slipped from the tent to Evie’s incredulous, “ _ You’re  _ going to wake us?” and Rick’s curiously surprised, “ _ You’re  _ trusted with a horse?”

Shaking his head, he stumbled into his tent and collapsed on his bed roll. It could have gone worse. And he was  _ certainly  _ going to be at odds with Evie the entire time, but oh well. It was still good to see them and not have to wear a tight and uncomfortable suit. Or having to watch Jonathan stress crochet.

He wasn’t expecting to hear the tale tell sounds of Jonathan wondering out of his tent that night. He assumed that he’d sleep well with his family nearby, but yet, the rustle of Jonathan’s tent doors opening and closing startled him awake. Normally Jonathan was quieter about leaving his tent...unless he wanted to be caught.

Before Ardeth could get up, his own curtains rustled. “Ardeth?” Jonathan sounded exhausted yet...amused? Well. That  _ did  _ bode well.

_ “Yes?”  _ Ardeth muttered, turning on his side and waiting for Jonathan to appear at his partition. Jonathan was sheepish when he pushed the curtain aside and shuffled over to him.  _ “Everything alright?” _

_ “Rick snores,”  _ Jonathan said, his voice slurring with sleeping.  _ “I’m sleeping here.” _

Ardeth chuckled as Jonathan collapsed onto his bedroll beside him. He tossed the blanket over Jonathan and let him wrap around him. 

They woke up around the same time the next morning. Like any other time that they slept in the same tent, they barely batted an eye. It was common enough that none of the early morning shift saw them leaving the tent together.

Jonathan went right to his tent to wake his family while Ardeth went to get their horses ready. He added additional supplies to the O’Connell’s two camels as well as the horses. Horus was perched on the saddle of Ardeth’s horse, nodding off.

By the time Jonathan got his family over to him, they were already late. Jonathan handed Ardeth a cup of juice with one of the fresh pastries baked that morning like every other day. “They’re not early risers,” Jonathan said cheerfully, biting into his own pastry. “And they thought  _ I  _ was going to have a problem.”

Ardeth laughed and studied the O’Connell’s. Rick was almost asleep where he was standing, an actually asleep Alex in his arms. Evie was nodding off and blinking awake every few moments, eyes barely open for more than a few minutes.

“Don’t sleep on your camels, they’ll kick you off!” Jonathan said, loudly and with a mischievous grin. “Shall we?”

The first temple they went to was one that the Medjai were  _ fairly  _ certain was empty. A place where the stories told of a powerful, magical trinket residing but they were also certain that the trinket didn’t exist at all.

On the off chance that it  _ did  _ exist, they protected the temple regardless. It was a relief to find out that it did not, in fact, exist. And Evie tried her  _ damndest _ to find it. She set off every trap and made them check every wall for a secret passage that didn’t exist. They did discover secret doors, but they seemed to be designed for the ancients to traverse the ruins without setting off or deactivating the traps.

Evie drove Rick mad with her risk taking but, in the end, no one was harmed. Most of the traps were too old to function any more. There were a few treasures here and there and when they found a room designed with gold leaf, Evie and Rick both turned to look at Jonathan.

“What?” Jonathan said, raising an eyebrow at them as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. “If you want an appraisal for their historical value, you’ll have to ask Ardeth.”

Thrown off guard, Evie gave Ardeth a wildly confused look. Ardeth hid a smile by looking around the room. “We have no need for any of this at the camp so you are free to take all of it. I am uncertain what your museums would find appealing.”

Evie and Rick left with the gold walls and Jonathan happily waved them on. Alex was rather happy with his pile of crochet toys Jonathan made him and showed him how to make. Jonathan himself looked lighter than a feather and it made that prideful, warm feeling balloon in Ardeth’s chest.

Every handful of months, the O’Connell’s would appear and need to be taken to another temple. Ardeth stuck to the temples they were unsure about, but were fairly certain they were empty, for as long as he could.

“Jonathan, have you seen your sis--” Ardeth had been trying to figure out with Jamila if there were any other safe temples left and found one. Which Ardeth was about to be rather happy to rub in Evie’s smug face. He just needed to find her. 

What he got instead was Jonathan and Alex holding the staff Jonathan had kept. Except, it wasn’t a staff any more, it was a spear. Alex’s eyes were wide, staring at the spear in awe. Jonathan was taking the spear away from him. And Ardeth knew, the moment Jonathan turned to look at him, that Jonathan wanted to know how to fight with it.

“Look! It’s a spear!” Jonathan said with a laugh, holding the staff out to Ardeth. 

In the end, he was right. Once the O’Connell’s left that trip (Evie ended up being victorious, finding a Staff of Plagues they hadn’t thought existed. They had the staff and Evie had her next paper) Jonathan turned to Ardeth and asked to learn how to fight with the spear.

Ardeth, head shaking, obliged. Jonathan hadn’t taken to any of the weapons the Medjai traditionally used. He was rather good with a staff but it wasn’t necessarily leathial. The spear made for a good weapon and since, Jonathan carried it with him everywhere, hidden or visible for all to see.

“I kept it,” Jonathan told him after one sparring match. He was getting rather good. “I kept it because I thought it was worth the most. I’m just...I’m attached.”

Jonathan seemed confused by his own feelings, but Ardeth supposed that was alright. “We don’t have to understand everything,” he said in response. “I’m glad you’ve finally found a weapon.” Jonathan gave him a blinding smile and hopped up, ready for another round.

The next time the O’Connell’s came Ardeth sent them off with Jamila. Jonathan looked like he wanted to stay behind with Alex for a change but decided that Rick and Jamila might actually kill each other.

So, with worried looks, he left with his family. Ardeth watched them go, heart heavy and head aching. One of the other Medjai camps, the one under Lock-Nah, had been acting strange recently. They weren’t returning messages or doing their duty. Or, well. They were doing one particular duty  _ too  _ well. 

Most camps rotated relative locations. They took turns keeping an eye on the various temples they guarded. Their camp was to watch over the creature’s resting place next, but the only word they’d gotten from Lock-Nah was that they were not moving and Ardeth’s camp should move onto their next position.

It was suspicious in the least and concerning, worrying at the worst. At the moment. Just the night before the O’Connell’s arrived, they received a word from their scouts who were spying on the camp. The entire camp was wearing red and half of them were missing. The scouts couldn’t even get close to the temple grounds because the missing half of the camp was there with guns, guarding it.

The moment they finished reading, Jonathan wanted to cancel the trip and stay but Ardeth had pointed out that Evie would go anyway and that Jamila and Rick hated each other. He didn’t want to worry the O’Connell’s over something they would very certainly stick their nose into. He especially didn’t want Jonathan to worry too much either, not when his family was there. He always had a good time when they visited, proudly showing them his place and position in the camp.

It took a little arguing but, eventually, Jamila and Rick nearly shooting each other in the foot to show who was the better shot decided it for him. That, and the threat of having Alex in camp if something was to go wrong (that almost started the argument again, but Ardeth was insistent).

Ardeth rubbed his hand down his face as he reread the scout letter and listened to the elders as they postured what to do. He was certain that everything would be alright. They’d get to the bottom of it all.


	8. Take me to Church by Hozier

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adreth hoped that everything would end well and peacefully. But, with the O’Connell’s there, it was rather unlikely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!

Ardeth was too enraged to flinch as Jonathan sowed his shoulder back together. The monstrous feeling boiled in his stomach and pressed against his chest. His arms tingled to move, to throw something. But he kept that feeling held tightly to his heart. The only things within reach were medical supplies and Jonathan and he didn’t dare touch any of them.

“Ardeth,” Jonathan said softly, his hand resting on top of Ardeth’s injured one. “I know you’re angry, but you have to relax.”

Ardeth looked at Jonathan. His eyes were filled with the same angry sorrow in Ardeth’s chest and he pushed out a few deep breaths, loosening his muscles to make stiching the bullet wound easier.

“There you are,” Jonathan said, attempting a smile but looking more like he wanted to cry. Quietly, Jonathan returned to work and neither of them tried to remember the bodies laying lined up in the sun outside of the camp.

The methodical pinch and pull of his skin was easy to focus on. It was easier than remembering the young Medjai that they lost. They did not lose as much as the other camps, but they lost their new young men. 

Young men that Jonathan had taught. That Ardeth had watched grow from small infants. Family, friends. Children. 

The rage was building again, but he counted the stitches to keep calm. He'd been shot twice. One was only a long graze while another was a full out hole in his skin and muscle. Jonathan said he was lucky that it wasn't his bone.

He didn't feel lucky.

He was startled by the sudden snap of the thread. He looked over at his shoulder, neat little rows of black stitches holding together the red and angry skin. Jonathan had rubbed it all raw to get out all of the sand.

“There, old chap,” Jonathan said, quickly rubbing his eyes. “I just need to--to bandage it.”

When Jonathan pulled his hands away, his eyes were red and puffy. His face was pinched as he tried to keep from sobbing out right.

Pain bloomed along with the rage and Ardeth grabbed Jonathan's hands and pulled them to his chest to hug. Jonathan croaked out a laugh before leaning forward and pressed his forehead against Ardeth's good shoulder.

Breathing together, they tried not to remember. Tried not to cry. They failed on both counts.

“I need to--” Jonathan eventually said, voice rough and low. He gestured vaguely towards Ardeth's shoulder with his elbow, his hands still captured in Ardeth's.

Regretfully, he let Jonathan go and held still as gauze was wrapped around his arm and chest. Jonathan kept wiping his nose on the sleeve of his white shirt. Ardeth scrubbed his own with his free hand.

Jonathan stuffed Ardeth's arm in a sling and gave him a stern look. “Do not move it,  _ much _ .” He pointed a finger at him and Ardeth, for only a moment, could smile.

“I will try,” Ardeth said, wincing when his voice sounded and felt like gravel. 

With that, the momentary normalcy was broken. Jonathan, looking heartbroken again, quickly handing Ardeth a cup of water.

“Jonathan?” 

They both looked at the entrance of Jonathan's tent. Jamila stood awkwardly in the doorway, holding a letter. Her eyes were as red as theirs. Her hair was pulled out of its normally neat braid, fly away hairs sticking out in random directions. 

Ardeth watched as Jonathan stood and took the letter. He and Jamila spoke on soft tones, ending the conversation with a tight hug. Jamila left, rubbing her eyes as Jonathan stood in front of the closed flap, breaking the envelope open.

“Evie,” Jonathan said, laughing wetly as he turned back to Ardeth, letter trembling in his hands.

Jonathan sat beside him on his good side and yanked him to lean against him and the pillows he'd dragged over. From Jonathan's shoulder, he read along as Jonathan read the letter aloud.

It was...soothing, to hear about Evie and Rick's adventures in another land. Of Evie's intellectual conquests. Of Rick out shooting another ex-soldier who'd he'd run into in a bar. Of Alex's schooling and new love of archeology, just like his mother.

It was less pleasing to see that they would be returning to Egypt in a few months. Jonathan frowned at the letter once he got to the end, slowly lowering it to his lap. His eyes got a far away look, fear and worry swirling within them.

“I'll send a spy,” Ardeth muttered, closing his eyes and soaking in Jonathan's warmth. “We cannot lose track of Lock-Nah and whatever it is that they're doing with the creature.”

Jonathan nodded, flipping the corner of the letter with his finger. “If they're really...digging that monster up, we can't let Evie or Rick close to it.”

Ardeth hummed in agreement, closing his eyes. “We must build a pyre.”

“I hate funerals,” Jonathan rubbed at his eyes again and Ardeth sucked in a sob. There, they remained for some time. On and off dosing or talking.

Inevitably, they had to leave the protection of the tent and face the reality of the situation. There was nowhere to bury bodies in the desert. No grave markers that would remain. Only temples and sand. Thankfully, they knew plenty of empty temples.

They burned the dead's possessions for a handful of reasons but the main two were that if their things were burned, no grave robber could steal them and so they would have them in the afterlife.

Ardeth never considered this as a compromise between their Egyptian and Arabic traditions until Evie pointed it out in one letter. Jonathan had described to her the funeral for the oldest woman in the camp. Evie often made him question his entire life with analyzation of their traditions like that.

Regardless of his crisis, the pyre was built and they began to burn the dead’s possessions. Once the clothes were burned, the bodies were wrapped in linen and left to dry in the sun for however long it took for them to get to the nearest burial temple.

Once at the temple, their priest would utter a few words before they, as a camp, found somewhere for the bodies to go amongst the vast amount of Medjai corpses. Each camp had their own section of each temple where they buried their dead. More often than that, the dry weather mummified the corpses so they could usually easily move them to make more room.

It was easier to view the entire process clinically, like he was speaking to Evie. It held the burning rage and sorrow at bay. He didn’t cry once, although his eyes watered and threatened to spill over. His father had never been one to cry, even when his second in command died. When his wife died. Ardeth found that now that he was the leader that he didn’t cry because he didn’t care. He didn’t cry because he’d never stop and the others needed someone to be strong. To give them hope.

Jonathan openly wept along with the others. He hugged the mothers, he explained death to the children. Somehow, he was more of a pillar than Ardeth was. He found most of the resting places with teary eyed determination they all were amazed by. Inspired by. Given hope by. 

It made Ardeth remember his own feelings towards his father when he didn’t even shed a tear during his mother’s funeral. Made him remember the resentment that burned in him like the rage did now.

So he cried. He wept softly and privately in front of everyone. Only a few noticed. And those few seemed to see him as stronger for it. “It’s strength to cry,” his grandmother told him once, long ago. “Not weakness.” He never believed her until he watched Jonathan sooth their entire camp’s sorrows with his own tears. 

When they finally returned to the camp, Ardeth dragged Jonathan to his tent and there they remained. Like the rest of the camp, they didn't emerge for some time. Ardeth had unshed tears to unburden himself with and Jonathan had his fears and worries weighing him down.

They laid side by side, staring at the vaulted ceiling of the tent and talked softly. Talking through the rage, the pain, the anxiety, the sadness.

Neither slept.

“It reminds me of the war,” Jonathan said close to midnight. He was suddenly shaking and crying uncontrollably. “It’s--I wasn't  _ there _ . I should have been there!”

Ardeth scrambled up right, grabbing at Jonathan with both arms to tug him to his chest. He ignored the ache in his shoulder, holding on tightly as Jonathan hyperventilated.

“It should have been me. It should have been me.” Jonathan sobbed, voice only partially muffled by Ardeth's shirt.

Ardeth never fully understood Jonathan's guilt. Death was random and cruel. It took who it wanted, when it wanted. That was life. But he'd never been in the Great War. Never had to watch people come to die on a trench that was made from the dead.

He would probably never understand the horrors of war like Jonathan did. He also had no idea what to say other than, “it's not your fault,” over and over as he rocked them back and forth.

Jonathan cried himself out eventually, but he still did not sleep. “I don't want to dream about them,” he whispered when Ardeth suggested it. Honestly, Ardeth didn't either, so they kept each other awake.

Ardeth, like most of the camp, healed over the months before the O'Connell's arrival. Jonathan...almost broke into their meager supply of beer a few times. After the fourth time, he slept in Ardeth's tent almost permanently and, without needing to be asked, some of the others dumped the beer into sand.

“Sorry,” Jonathan muttered, curled into a ball with heavy bags under his eyes. “It just won't stop.”

Ardeth had no idea what  _ it  _ was, but it couldn't be good. So he cradled Jonathan to his chest and muttered the same phrase once again.

Once Jonathan was finally getting some sleep, as restless as it was, he was doing better. Grandmother made him come speak to her almost every day, alone. He always came back from those meetings a little more cheerful. Sometimes his eyes were wet, but they were smiling so Ardeth tried not to worry too much.

The rest of the camp tried their hardest to help, giving Jonathan tasks, teaching him new skills, asking him to tell stories. One mother, one of the few who'd taken some time to warm up to Jonathan and who lost her son, did the most.

_ “I am honored that you mourn our children more than any of us ever could,”  _ she told Jonathan, hand on his shoulder and tears in her eyes.  _ “I have never thought you belong with us more than this moment.” _

Jonathan broke down into tears and hugged her tightly. She cried herself and since, the two were rather good friends. They’d sit and knit together, talking about the meager gossip around the camp.

He, and the camp itself, was much better by the time the O'Connell's arrived. However, the pain of the deaths still hovered over them all enough to be noticeable.

By Alex, at least. “Uncle Ardeth? Why was everyone at camp sad?”

Ardeth blinked down at the (dear Gods) eight year old in surprise. Jonathan was listening to Evie retell her conquering of a conference a few paces behind them. Rick rode his camel beside them, tilting his head towards them with surprised interest.

Ardeth took a deep breath and sighed. “We...lost a battle recently and lost some of our people,” Ardeth said, giving Alex a shaky smile. “We are still mourning.”

Alex instantly looked aghast and twisted around to hug Ardeth. Suddenly the fact that he wasn't allowed his own camel bothered him less. “I'm sorry,” Alex mumbled against him.

Ardeth smiled more genuinely as he hugged Alex back. “Thank you, little one.”

A warm hand squeezed his shoulder and he looked over at Rick. His face was twisted painfully and he just simply nodded. The West abandoned their troops after the war. They all suffered like Jonathan and, according to Evie, Rick was no exception.

Swallowing tears, Ardeth looked ahead of them again. He was just going to send Jamila, but she herself insisted that he needed to get away for a little bit. The camp would be alright. And it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that she didn’t want to see Rick, especially whilst mourning. 

Taking a deep breath, he pointed and spoke loud enough for Jonathan and Evie to hear him. “The temple of the Scorpion King.”

Rising up in the distance were two pillars. A land mark all Medjai knew well and knew bore a treasure and also one of the most deadly traps.

“Oh wonderful!” Evie said as she came up beside them. “And you are certain the gauntlet is still there?”

“It is,” Ardeth said with a nod before frowning. “I am surprised you requested it.” Normally Evie was just happy to go wherever Ardeth took them.

Evie just shrugged, pushing her camel to ride ahead. “I am simply curious!”

“And we all know how dangerous that is,” Rick said, sharing a grin with Ardeth before Evie shouted a protest at him. As he rode ahead to catch up with his wife, Jonathan appeared beside Ardeth.

Before he could utter a sound, Alex was crawling over to his horse, scaring the shit out of them, to hug him. “I'm sorry for your loss, Uncle Jon.”

Jonathan tensed up, shocked. He looked at Ardeth who simply shrugged and smiled back. Blinking a few confused times, Jonathan hugged Alex back. “Thank you, Alex.”

Ardeth smiled at them before looking up at the looming pillars. He hoped that everything would end well and peacefully. But, with the O’Connell’s there, it was rather unlikely. 


	9. Say Amen (Saturday Night) by Panic!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Well, I'd say that was only a minor disaster,” Jonathan grumbled as he wrung out the sleeve of his shirt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!

“Well, I'd say that was only a minor disaster,” Jonathan grumbled as he wrung out the sleeve of his shirt.

“Nonsense! We found the gauntlet!” Evie said, holding up a decorative, ancient box with a proud grin.

“And your son was almost shot,” Ardeth said, holding said son under his arm like a sack of potatoes. 

“Hey!” Alex said, kicking his legs. “That wasn't my fault!”

“Of course it isn't, bud,” Rick said, ruffling Alex's hair. “You saved us!--Ow!” He glared at Jonathan who had lightly whapped him with the flat of his spear. 

Jonathan glared back before folding the spear up again and hanging it from his hip. “Shall we be going?”

Normally when Evie found something in the temples, the Medjai kept it and put it back in its proper place with new traps. However, Ardeth didn't like the fact that the damn creature was being messed with in the year of the scorpion. And he especially didn’t like that Evie was, quote, “drawn to the gauntlet,” rather suddenly. It was a recipe for disaster. 

However, there  _ was  _ an opportunity here. The O’Connell’s were leaving soon and England was rather far away from where the creature was buried. If they played it right, no one would know they were gone. So he argued that it would be harder to find the gauntlet if it was in England with the elders.

Jonathan stayed out the discussion, more focused on showing Alex how to use a staff. Ardeth had Rick, Evie, and the elders gathered together to discuss the issue. He wasn’t sure how to feel about it. When that damned mummy got up and was walking around again, he wasn’t going to just  _ forget  _ them killing him. He’d come after them and they’d find the gauntlet with them.

“ _ Jonathan _ .”

He looked up from correcting Alex's stance to see Grandmother frowning at him.  _ “What do you think?” _

Jonathan wrinkled his nose. She always dragged him into these things kicking and screaming. “ _ I think that wherever my dear, little sister goes, trouble follows _ .”

“Jonathan!” Evie huffed, hands on her hips. She’d agreed with Ardeth right away. She seemed almost, protective over the damn thing. 

Jonathan smiled at her, like it was a joke, but grandmother and the elders new better. Rick, however, looked annoyed with his response. He seemed on the fence about the matter, like most of the elders. Deep down, he knew he was right.

Before anything else could be said on the matter, there was the caw of a hawk. Immediately, just about everyone but the O'Connell's raised their arms to see where the bird would land.

“That's so awesome,” Alex said as the hawk landed on Ardeth's arm.

Jonathan chuckled and ruffled Alex's hair. He was about to tell him all about hawk rearing when Ardeth sucked in a breath.

_ “Jonathan, come here,” _ Ardeth said, tilting the note so Grandmother and a few other elders could read it.

Frowning worriedly, Jonathan walked over and read over Ardeth's shoulder, leaning against him.

“What's going on?” Evie said, frowning when Rick waved at her to wait.

“Nothing good,” Rick murmured as Jonathan's eyes went wide.

Lock-Nah found the preserved corpse of Imhotep  _ and _ the books of the Living and Dead. To add insult to injury, many Medjai had died trying to get to the monster. The spy also noted that they had a woman who knew far too much with them as well as an older man with a deep knowledge of the creature.

They all looked at each other before the elders all nodded. What else could they do other than delay the inevitable for as long as possible now? “We will accompany you to England,” Ardeth said, passing the note to Grandmother. 

“You and your new trinket,” Jonathan laughed nervously, heart sinking. Great, just what he needed, dreams about the damn Mummy to accompany the slaughter of children.

About eighty percent of Jonathan's luggage was yarn. Rick and Alex gave him funny looks when he broke it out the instant they entered the city. Jonathan didn’t care, he just wanted to ignore the hustle and bustle of the city. With all of the people and how loud it was and how they were all so incredibly doomed.

Ardeth and Evie, bless them, kept Rick and Alex from asking. Jonathan felt like he was floating a million miles away, only the knotting of the yarn keeping him teachered to the ground. He was afraid to be alone with his mind. He was just feeling better too, now he had to worry about this stupid mummy _ again _ !

Someone bumped shoulders with him and his head snapped up. Beside him, Evie smiled worriedly at him. “Are you alright?” She sounded tired, worried, almost scared. He supposed, she  _ did  _ have the worst of their last encounter with bloody Imhotep and his ghoulish gang of undead priests and the elders hadn’t put much confidence that she wouldn’t make a mess of the gauntlet. Even he hadn’t.

Jonathan sighed, letting his hands and the giant blanket he was making, fall into his lap. He thought about lying, but Evie would never be satisfied with that. He wasn’t satisfied just thinking about lying.

So he told her everything he left out the letters. Of why they lost so many, of the creature coming back to life, of his lack of sleep, of...of the war and what it did to him. Evie listened quietly, reserved, agonized.

“Oh Jonathan,” she muttered when he finished. “ I--I don't know what to say.” She leaned heavily against him, their hearts hammering nervously, loudly.

Jonathan puffed out a laugh. “Not much to say, old mum. Don't worry about it too much.” He patted her hand, frowning when she snatched his hand and held onto it.

Evie frowned at him, squeezing his hand. “What I  _ do  _ know, is that it's not your fault...and you're much stronger than I've ever given you credit for. I’m sorry--I--I didn’t do enough.”

Jonathan tensed then relaxed, something lifting off of his chest as Evie leaned more against him. “Thank you, Sis,” he said, pressing a kiss into her hair. “You’re more than you could ever imagine.”

Evie laughed, lips wobbling slightly as she covered them, trying not to cry. Neither of them had thought of their father in years. But pride in himself and Evie trumped that old shits terrible opinion of his children.

The rest of the trip was less stressful and solum, although Jonathan still stress knit. Even getting to the estate was peaceful, especially when Jonathan barely noticed the bars they passed. The only reason he knew they were there was because of Ardeth tensing beside him neither of them really thought of his momentary weakness when they agreed to come.

He was relieved he hadn't even thought of it until Ardeth started tensing on the ride. He didn't  _ want _ to drink. At least, not anymore. In those moments in the desert, his mind wouldn't stop. A little voice that bounced around in his skull blamed him for everything. Blamed him for the death of children at the hands of betrayers. Blamed him for the rise of a monster. Blamed him for the death of thousands of soldiers. And it wouldn't shut up, no matter what he did. So, for a sickening moment, he thought alcohol would shut it up. He was glad someone caught him in time.

Grandmother's help was invaluable after that. She taught him how to meditate. How to  _ talk _ to the voice. How to  _ fight  _ it. It still got the better of him sometimes, but he didn't run for a bottle when it did.

So he gave Ardeth a reassuring smile every time he tensed and it seemed to soothe his nerves a little. What rapidly brought them back was opening the door to their normal room at the estate to men in red robes and a woman with a snake.

“Oh,” Jonathan said as they all stared at each other, vaguely confused.

The woman frowned, folding her arms as the snake curled around shoulders. “You are not the O'Connell's.”

“Oh no, that's my brother-in-law!” Jonathan said, grabbing his staff. “I know the resemblance between Rick and I is uncanny but--”

Jonathan had fought people will guns before. Sometimes traders would think they were smarter than the camp and attack them directly. Jonathan had helped, had fought side by side with Ardeth. And while he was clumsy, he and Ardeth made a good team.

Rick was less patient with him, however, when he and Ardeth switched places. Ardeth ran to protect the gauntlet while Rick ended up hurtling them both out a damn window. As they recovered, they spotted a car with the treacherous Medjai within, driving away. 

Ardeth and Alex met them out front just as Evie’s face appeared then disappeared in the back of the car. Rick shouted after the car, but there wasn't time to give chase. For a sickening moment, they both thought Alex was in the car as well until they heard him shout for his father. As Rick scooped up Alex, Jonathan and Ardeth checked each other over.

Ardeth appeared to be fine, he had a few small cuts here and there and he looked rather upset. His hands were shaking and his eyes were blazing with a harsh fire. Jonathan didn’t doubt that his shoulder had phantom pains.

“It was Lock-Nah,” he said grimly before Jonathan could even ask. “He got Evie and the gauntlet.”

“Actually…” Alex said and all of the adults looked down at him.

Leave it to Evie's son to put on the dangerous and magical gauntlet their enemies wanted. As they drove towards the museum Alex claimed the old man their spy had told them about worked, Jonathan considered their options. Ardeth was pestering Rick about his Medjai tattoo (not for the first time, although this time had some urgency to it) while Alex worried about his mother and the thing stuck to his arm.

Sighing through his nose, he volunteered to wait in the car with Alex. They were going to need a quick get away. He insisted that Ardeth and Rick sneak in and  _ attempt  _ to sneak out, although they all knew better.

Once Ardeth and Rick were in the museum, Jonathan got into the front seat to keep the car running when the key just...snapped in his hands. He stared down at it blankly for a long moment as Alex teased that he was in trouble.

“I guess I don’t know my own strength!” he said, puffing a laugh before tossing the head of the key aside, looking around them. “We need a new mode of transport, it seems, any ideas?”

Alex had a few, but the bus, that one was his. He'd had better ideas than that, but it was the easiest thing to steal at the time. Alex thought it was cool at least, and it was a  _ great _ place to have two  _ separate _ fights.

Regardless, by the end they'd won the battle, maybe not the day, but the battle, surely. Jonathan quickly looked Ardeth over when they stopped. He looked dazed but alright, giving Jonathan an exhausted, goofy smile.

Rick and Evie were quick to check each other over which left Alex to them. They both turned just in time to see a hand snap into the bus and grab Alex.

Jonathan moved without thinking. He knew that the villains in these stories of theirs were more than happy to shoot first. He knew he ran quite a high risk of being shot when he leapt out of the bus after Alex.

He'd never been shot before. He'd always managed to avoid it. Be it, never climbing over the trench or ducking behind someone else. He'd always managed to avoid it. Was afraid of it, really.

But, this was his nephew and that was Lock-Nah. This was a child, his family. And he'd be damned if he let another young kid get killed because of him.

The pain wasn't immediate although the knock back was. One moment he was holding onto Alex's arm, staring Lock-Nah in the eyes, the next he was falling backwards, little arches of red chasing after him.

He didn't feel the ground when he hit, but he could hear everyone shouting. His mind, however, was too focused on trying to get up, on crawling after Alex, to decipher what they were saying.

He could only weakly fight back when strong, familiar hands grabbed him and held him down. He was rolled onto his back and then Ardeth's face appeared above him, all of the fight in his body fled all at once.

Ardeth's face was pinched with terrified agony as he pressed into Jonathan's shoulder. As the pain began to register, so did the other voices.

Rick was calling after Alex. Evie was calling after Rick. And Ardeth was saying something in Arabic, but his mind was becoming too sluggish to translate.

“Alex--Alex--we have to--” Jonathan croaked, reaching up a bloody hand to grab onto Ardeth's robes. He froze when he saw the blood, staring at his hand.

“Is that--” Jonathan felt the panic set in immediately. Lock-Nah missed. That's why Rick was yelling. He'd--oh God.

“It's yours,” Ardeth snarled, pressing harder into Jonathan's shoulder, sending shivers of pain through him. “Alex is gone but alright.”

Somehow he didn't believe him, but he couldn't ask anything more, the world was getting dark.


	10. Out of My League by Fitz and The Tantrums

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They're on their way to get Alex back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!

“I’m not moving it!” Jonathan huffed, smiling slightly. “Am I this annoying?”

Ardeth stared blankly at Jonathan, not bothering to dignify that with a response. Jonathan just laughed lightly, leaning back against the short chair Izzy had provided him.

“You sure you need that shiny stick?” Izzy said from behind the steering wheel and Ardeth tuned out Jonathan shouting that it was a spear and not just a shiny stick. It’d been the tenth time they’d had this argument.

Instead, he focused on Jonathan’s arm and the gauze residing under his shirt. At the fact that it was in a sling. At the fact he shouldn’t be here at all. 

“He’s my nephew, I have...I have to help,” Jonathan had murmured when Ardeth attempted to get him to stay behind, or, even better, go back with the Medjai. “I can’t--I can’t--”

Jonathan never finished his sentence, but Ardeth gathered his meaning well enough. He was blaming himself for not saving Alex even though neither Rick nor Evie blamed him. He was  _ shot  _ for Allah's sake. He shouldn’t be so hard on himself, yet, he would be. And there was nothing Ardeth could do to dissuade him.

And that’s what Ardeth hated the most. 

“Ardeth?”

Looking up at his name, he stared at Rick who seemed exhausted. He had his hand held over his wrist. Evie was just behind him, hand over her mouth as she watched Jonathan pretend everything was alright.

“Can you tell us anything more about these guys?” Rick said softly, sitting heavily beside Ardeth. “This Lock-Nah guy, the woman with him, anything?”

Ardeth sucked in a pained breath, feeling the rage building in his stomach again. Suddenly Jonathan was quiet and standing  _ very  _ still in front of Izzy who was frowning, confused.

“He was...once a Medjai,” Ardeth said before hurriedly standing and grabbing Jonathan’s good hand. It took a small tug before Jonathan followed him to sit beside him. He stared at the ground, hand clutching Ardeth’s tightly. “He turned his entire camp against us.”

Rick scowled and Evie gasped, hugging herself slightly. “Didn’t you...you  _ knew _ , didn’t you? When you took us into the desert?” Evie had an indignant look on her face. The face of a mother missing her child. “Why didn’t you tell us?”

“You would have wanted to do something. Stick your nose into our business,” Jonathan said slowly, voice low and dangerous. Ardeth had heard Jonathan speak like that only once and it was to scold the children for not listening when he told them there was a dangerous trap in one of the temples. He’d managed to keep them safe, but it did not save them from that tone.

Clearly, Evie knew the tone well because she nearly instantly shrank in on herself, looking like a scolded child. Ardeth looked at Rick who seemed shocked to hear such a tone from Jonathan.

“At the time, we thought there was nothing of the creature left to find,” Ardeth said, running a soothing hand down Jonathan’s back. “It was not until you were heading back that we discovered that they had found him trapped in amber.”

Jonathan kept that hard gaze on Evie who pressed her lips into a thin line and looked away. After a moment, satisfied that neither of them were going to question them again, he relaxed. “I’m sorry, Evie.” He spoke so softly that Ardeth was fairly certain only he could hear the broken crack in his voice. “I should have--”

“You were shot,” Evie said, quickly recovering from being scolded. “You did everything you could.”

From experience, Ardeth braced for an argument. Instead, Jonathan seemed to concede to Evie. It made Ardeth wonder if Jonathan really trusted him so much as to argue the point with him.

After a moment of silence, Rick elbowed Evie and cleared his throat. She gave him a confused look when he nodded towards Jonathan and Ardeth. Rick sighed and whispered something to her.

“Oh!” she said before shaking her head. “It’s unimportant,” she said flippantly, tugging at a loose string on her dress. “Getting Alex back is far more important.”

Rick didn’t seem satisfied with that answer but didn’t question it. Jonathan and Ardeth shared glances before shrugging and leaving it be. 

The balloon ride was tight and long. Especially with tensions so high. There was an agony in everything that Rick and Evie did. Ardeth felt it himself, but he was certain it didn’t compare to the pain of parents who lost their child.

Jonathan went in and out of sleep, leaning up against Ardeth in the most comfortable position they could manage with his arm in the sling. Horus had resigned himself to sitting on Ardeth’s hand since Jonathan wouldn’t be able to hold him with his damaged arm. And the falcon was  _ not  _ happy about it.

Ardeth knew, for a fact, that Horus adored Jonathan. Loved him more than he loved Ardeth. If there was an arm to rest on, it was going to be Jonathan’s. If Jonathan was feeling unwell, Horus was by his side, ready to get someone the moment Jonathan needed anything.

He was a loyal friend and a very good one to Jonathan. So it was driving him mad to not be able to sit on Jonathan’s arm and comfort him. Which made him restless and noisy which disrupted Jonathan’s sleep.

“Here, you daft bird,” Jonathan muttered eventually, still half asleep. He threw a thick blanket folded over a few times over his raised knees. Instantly, Horus fluttered form Ardeth’s arm to Jonathan’s knees and cooed happily.

“Crazy bird,” Jonatha murumered, rubbing Horus’s chest feathers fondly, a sleepy (adorable) smile on his face. “I’m alright.”

Ardeth would like to disagree with that, but well. Horus and Jonathan both seemed pleased, even if Horus was continuously shifting to keep the blanket from clinging to his claws. 

Jonathan went to sleep again, his knees bunched up near his chest. Horus settled down himself, sinking into his feathers. Ardeth smiled at them both before something heavy weighed in his chest.

It came every time he had a true moment to himself and with Horus finally settled, Jonathan asleep, Rick and Evie distracted with each other and Izzy not giving a damn about any of them, he had a moment to think to himself.

And his thoughts were not pleasant ones. 

Flashes of Jonathan’s white shirt and jacket becoming stained red with his blood. Watching him wildly struggle against him, attempting to still chase after Alex. The feral look in his eyes when he finally turned him over.

The way they dulled as his struggling ceased. The way they rolled when he fell unconscious. It--it was terrifying. 

Regret was not something Ardeth felt often, but in that moment, as he held Jonathan’s shoulder, crimson blood oozing past his fingers and soaking the sleeves of his tunic, he felt it. He regretted not telling Jonathan that he was ready. He regretted deciding to wait for Jonathan to come to him. He regretted bringing him along. He regretted not doing more to protect him.

He regretted many things, and it weighed on him. Just like the residual fear of watching Jonathan bleed out and nearly die. Of watching a doctor rip the bullet from his shoulder about an hour later. It was...almost too much. 

Yet, he’d do anything for Jonathan, even agree to let him come on such a dangerous mission injured. He’d let him sleep uncomfortably because he loved Horus just as much as Horus loved him.

“Ardeth? Is he finally sleeping?”

Ardeth tried not to jerk out of his thoughts at Evie’s voice. Instead, he slowly looked up at her and nodded once. “Yes, Horus was just...worried.”

Evie smiled weakly and sat on his other side. She looked over at Rick who was leaning against the front of the ship. There was no doubt that he blamed himself for what happened just like Jonathan did.

“He always did have a way with animals. They just love him right from the start,” Evie said, laughing lightly. “Did he ever tell you about the stray dogs he’d end up bringing home?”

Ardeth tried to smile. He wondered if Evie thought the memory of their father having the stray dogs Jonathan fed and cared for outside of their home shot a fond memory like Jonathan sometimes did. “He has...about the only animal I’ve seen hate him is his horse.”

“Oh really?” Evie said, eyes lighting up. “I remember him mentioning it in his letters but not what happened.”

“Nothing happened,” Ardeth said with a shrug. “He just decided to try and ride the most stubborn horse we had.” He chuckled, remembering the determination on Jonathan’s face as he approached the horse. “I do believe she still hates him, only for taming her.”

Evie laughed lightly, shaking her head at her sleeping brother before sighing. They sat in peaceful silence for a moment before Evie sighed heavily this time.

“I know you and Jonathan have...a relationship, of sorts,” Evie said softly, eyeing Izzy nervously. “And I  _ am  _ happy for you...I just--”

Evie paused, giving Ardeth an imploring look. Her eyes searched his for something and he hoped she found it. “I’m so grateful to you,” she said finally, hugging herself around her stomach. “For helping him. I’ve never...It’s been such a long time since I’ve seen him happy.”

Ardeth wondered if she was just as terrified of Jonathan’s bullet wound as he was. “It’s been my pleasure to help him. He’s a good friend.”

Evie narrowed her eyes at him and shook her head. “ _ Friend _ , right,” she said, giving Ardeth a knowing smile.

Ardeth laughed sheepishly, shaking his head at her. “Yes,  _ friend _ ,” he said, before smirking. “For now.”

Evie gasped quietly before giving him a giant grin. “You’d better keep taking care of him then,” she said, wagging her finger sternly at him. “I know where you live.”

Ardeth laughed and gently, and carefully, tugged her into a one armed hug. “I expect nothing less from you.”

Evie grinned back at him, although it slowly drained from her eyes, she leaned into him regardless. Eventually Rick joined them and, after some coaxing, slept with his head in Evie’s lap. Izzy grumbled something about being a fifth wheel and Ardeth smiled.

“I know we don’t see eye to eye often,” Evie said a little later. “And especially about what I’m about to ask, but do you think there’s anything at this temple we could take with us?”

Ardeth gave Evie a flat look and she smiled sheepishly. “Anything we can learn?” she added, a definite after thought. 

Rolling his eyes, Ardeth sighed. “No, not particularly,” he said, giving her a stern look when she opened her mouth. “And I mean it.”

Evie laughed lightly and bowed her head. She carded her fingers through Rick’s hair. “They won’t hurt him, will they?”

Ardeth frowned, then closed his eyes. “Not while he wears the gauntlet.” When he opened his eyes, he just caught sight of a tear rolling down Evie’s cheek. He reached out and squeezed her shoulder. “We  _ will _ get him back.”

Evie sniffed and rubbed her nose on her sleeve, smiling at Ardeth, eyes red and puffy. “We will,” she said, stern and determined. 

Ardeth nodded and they settled down again. By night fall, Jonathan just couldn’t sleep any longer and spent his waking time trying to keep Evie in good cheer. Ardeth, despite himself, couldn’t help pestering Rick about his Medjai tattoo once again. 

“You cannot argue with fate,” Ardeth said sternly when Rick glared at him.

“I can certainly try,” Rick said, giving Ardeth his signature ‘fuck you’ smile.

Ardeth huffed and was just about to start another argument when Evie suddenly shouted. Rick and Ardeth whipped around and dived toward the siblings. Jonathan had Evie by the hand, holding on with  _ both  _ arms.

Rick grabbed Evie while Ardeth grabbed Jonathan. “What the bloody hell Evie?!” Jonathan hissed once Ardeth had him in a chair. Horus fluttered his wings as the sharp tang of blood hit the air. 

“I--I had a vision,” Evie muttered, dazed in Rick’s arms. “It was so real.”

“I’m having a vision now,” Rick said through his teeth. “Of slapping you all stupid, what happened?”

Ardeth barely listened, his focus was on Jonathan’s bleeding shoulder. Slowly, as he re-did Jonathan’s stitches and cleaned up the blood, he started to listen to the story Evie weaved for them. 

“It is true,” Ardeth said quietly when Rick started to question the possibilities. “That is the story we tell each other.”

At that admission (that was aided by Jonathan’s nod of agreement), there was silence. Jonathan held still as Ardeth rewrapped his shoulder. “Fate’s a bitch,” Rick said, startling them all. Izzy and Jonathan barked laughs as Evie slapped Rick on the shoulder and Ardeth rolled his eyes.

His heart was still racing. His eyes still on Jonathan’s shoulder, but the laughter helped soothe his nerves a little.

Of course, they returned in seconds when they landed at the first location only to find Lock-Nah and the creature gone. Thankfully, Alex was a clever young man.


	11. Come With Me Now by Kongo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The decision had been an easy one, just like taking that bullet for Alex.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!

“Those are my boys down there,” Evie said as they made sure their guns were loaded and ready. Their little sniping perch had an excellent view of the entire clearing. Little red dots glowed against the green leaves of the brush. Adreth, by far, was the hardest to spot but Jonathan easily tracked him.

“I know,” Jonathan said, lining up his sights with Ardeth and Rick. “So is mine.”

They shared a small secret smile that only siblings could understand. Evie’s was proud while Jonathan’s was sheepish but they understood each other perfectly. Firing a gun from long range was his normal position in a battle. He and the other Medjai didn’t exactly trust him on the front lines. They did, however, trust his aim.

It was all he had going for him during the war. And right now, it was all he was focused on. With a practiced ease Evie didn’t seem to have, he effortlessly bounced between Ardeth and Rick, taking down targets left and right.

There was something in the brush, knocking down targets before Jonathan could even get to them. Faintly he head a hissing, munching noise coming from below them. He never got a good look at the things. They just seemed to be tiny mummies and they were damn hard to hit.

He managed a shot or two on a handful but they were dark and matched the color of the trees. They were nearly impossible to see from this distance. He figured, if they took care of the red robes, Adreth and Rick could worry about those...pygmy things.

Surveying the battle for more targets he caught sight of a tiny body in a white shirt and tracked it, shooting anyone who got too close. Alex looked terrified, although, thankfully, the pygmies seemed to be leaving him alone, perhaps because of the bracelet strapped to his arm. 

“I see Alex,” Jonathan said, not even sparing a glance down at his sister.

“So do I,” Evie breathed, voice wobbling.

Jonathan smiled and switched his focus to Rick and Adreth. Evie would take care of Alex. He just hoped she wasn’t shaking too much.

He was following Rick when Evie shouted in fear. He didn’t get a chance to move before he watched Rick grab Alex right out from under… "He's got him!" Evie cheered, laughing brightly, if not a bit wetly.

While Evie focused on her family, Jonathan was watching Lock-Nah. Something burned in his stomach and the dull ache from his shoulder faded away as he stared down at the man. The man who killed children. The man who shot him in the shoulder. A monster.

Jonathan had just turned to see where Adreth was, to see if he was seeing what he was, when he saw that streak of black running through the trees at Lock-Nah. The treacherous bastard. Jonathan felt the burning in his stomach set his blood to boil. He raised his gun and followed after Lock-Nah, waiting for a moment to fire. Anything to get back at that fuck for killing the kids. His camp. His family.

He never got the chance to shoot, but he almost started cheering when Ardeth knocked Lock-Nah down, cutting his throat. But then he noticed someone coming up behind Ardeth and, out of instinct, he aimed and fired.

Ardeth looked up at him and they shared a little smile, a small nod, a wave, as the body crashed to the ground. 

Jonathan, smug, replaced his arm into his sling and followed Evie down to meet them. The wound burned and might be bleeding a little, but it was more than worth it. As Evie hugged her son and husband, Ardeth wrapped his arms around Jonathan for a moment before letting him go with a wild grin. “How’s your arm? Are you well?”

“I’m fine,” Jonathan said, waving behind them. “Go.”

Ardeth tensed, the harsh memory of Horus falling from the sky making them both frown and ache. “I will, you should--”

“I’ll keep them out of trouble,” Jonathan said, winking at Ardeth before pushing him forward. “Now go!”

Ardeth smiled and raced off into the trees. Jonathan turned toward his family, tuning in just in time to hear “If we don’t get the bracelet off before the sun hits the pyramid it’ll kill me!” And they were running again.

Those little pygmy bastards hadn’t seemed so bad up in their sniping perch, but now they were bloody terrifying, ugly as sin too. Thankfully they had tiny legs and weren’t extraordinarily fast, but one little fumble and they’d be caught.

And Jonathan, well. He  _ almost  _ fumbled. How he’d heard the weak bird calls over the damn pygmy noises, he’d never know, but he had. And he paused mid-run to stare down at a familiar feathered creature.

He didn’t have a lot of time to think so he scooped his little birdie buddy up and sprinted off into the woods in a random direction since he lost sight of his family. 

He only partially felt terrible about leading that man astray, only because he was human, but he was still mad that they’d killed some from his camp. So he left the poor bastard there on the spike, only vaguely wondering why the pigmy seemed almost afraid of him. Maybe it was the spear he was wielding.

He hugged Horus to his chest as he ran, searching for an escape or wherever his family was. He spotted them across a bridge and sprinted full force across it, diving onto the other side where Evie and Alex tried to catch him. Evie accidentally grabbed his shoulder and he winced, but withheld any screams of pain.

Rick blew the bridge and didn’t spare a moment. He grabbed Alex and ran, leaving Evie and Jonathan behind to recover and follow. Jonathan stumbled slightly, his shoulder definitely bleeding now, before finally running after Evie.

Horus cooed softly at him, rubbing his head weakly against Jonathan’s chest. Smiling down at the bird, he pet his head feathers before focusing on running.

“What’s that?” Evie shouted at him when he caught up to her.

“Horus!” Jonathan shouted, tucking the falcon into his sling. “He’s alive!”

Evie smiled brightly at him before focusing on catching up with her son and husband. Jonathan held his breath as they rounded the corner and just saw Rick dive into the pyramid in time. 

He sighed in relief, letting out a whoop as they all finally relaxed. Evie was laughing, tears in her eyes, as she started slowly toward them.

Jonathan alone heard the crunch of untrained feet on sand. He alone knew what may come. He may have failed to protect Alex when he needed him most, but he wouldn’t be failing his sweet baby sister.

It was...a shockingly easy decision, to yank her out of the way and take a knife to the gut. Just like it had been surprisingly easy to take that bullet for Alex. 

“Uncle Jon!” Alex shouted as he stared into Meleea’s eyes. He puffed a laugh at her momentary confusion.

Meleea, aggravated, ripped the blade from his stomach and he wobbled for a moment before collapsing. First to his knees where he raised a hand to his stomach and pressed his hand against the blood seeping into his clothes, and then to his side, mindful, at the last second, that his arm hurt like a bitch and Horus was in his sling.

Evie, Alex, and Rick were at his side in an instant, Meleea and that damn creature walking past. The creature looked down at him, tilting his head to the side, curious, before moving on.

Jonathan puffed another laugh as Evie held him to her stomach while she put pressure on his. Rick pulled Alex away from him, muttering something about him being alright while covering his eyes.

Past Evie, he saw those two monsters walk away and something tickled at the back of his throat. Something he’d heard their almost dead shout in their last moments. 

“ _ I am Medjai! _ ” Jonathan shouted in the little ancient Egyptian he knew with all the strength he could muster. Pride fueling him. “ _ Till death! _ ”

The creature paused and Jonathan flipped him off when he turned around to face him. The damn thing  _ smirked  _ at him before walking away and disappearing inside of the pyramid.

Jonathan’s arm fell as he coughed, blood dribbling down his chin. From his sling, Horus chirped pitifully. “Jonathan--Jonathan, no,” Evie wept above him and he turned his dulling eyes to her. Blood gushed out of his stomach as he smiled at her, teeth stained red.

“Take care of Horus for me?” he said, voice getting smaller and smaller as he spoke. “And take care of yourself, will you?”

“Jonathan, no,” Evie sobbed, hugging his head and shoulders tightly. “Please, no.”

Jonathan chuckled, coughed up more blood, then closed his eyes. One. Two. Three breaths. And then the world was dark.

\---

Evie could only hold her son and try not to stare at her brother’s body. Rick had charged into the pyramid with vengeance in his eyes. Leaving them with...Oh, she could barely think it.

Jonathan, dead. It was nearly impossible to believe. Everything in her screamed in agony, in disbelief. Any moment now, he’d sit up and smile. Tell her it was all a bad joke. But he wouldn’t. He’d never say anything again. She’d never get another letter from him. She’d never get another scarf or shawl. She’d never hear one of his ridiculous stories. 

He and Ardeth wouldn’t come to visit, or take Alex out and spoil him. Oh. Oh Ardeth. She couldn’t imagine breaking the news to him. How was she going to tell him, much less Alex, what just happened? That Jonathan wasn’t coming back? 

Swallowing more tears, Evie took a deep breath and decided to face that first hurtle now. “Now, don’t fret too much, Alex,” she said, wiping the tears from his eyes. “Jonathan’s in a better place now.”

She choked up as her son looked at her in confusion, sniffling and red eyed. She scrambled for words for a moment. “It’s--it’s like the good book says--”

“Book!” Alex suddenly shouted, pushing away from Evie. 

“What?” Evie said, gasping as Alex started tugging on her arm. 

“Come on! They have the Book of the Dead! We can read it!” Alex said, pointing to Jonathan. “We can bring him back!”

Evie’s eyes went wide and she looked at Jonathan before looking up at the pyramid. “That might just work,” she whispered, smiling at Alex before hurriedly standing. “Help me pick him up!”

Evie might not look strong, but she could carry her own. However, Jonathan was just a bit too heavy for her. With Alex’s help, and avoiding Horus who pecked at them if they got too close, they managed to get his body on a tarp and drag him into the temple.

“Now, I need you to read the inscriptions,” Evie said as they both turned to the right to head toward the Scorpion king. “Because I doubt you can distract that Meleea person.”

“You got it, mom!” Alex said, giving Evie an ecstatic smile. She couldn’t help but feel a little giddy herself. She’d have her brother back. 

Fighting Meleea was eerily familiar. Her trying to stab Evie, Evie trying to avoid that and trying to stab back this time. At least she wasn’t a horrible and stinky mummy. Or even the woman marrying her father. Someone fumbling over the stork symbol. Ah, awful times. 

But this time it was better because, just as Meleea was about to stab Evie, a familiar hand caught her wrist and twisted it until she dropped her blade.

“Now, now!” Jonathan said as he stepped in front of Evie. “None of that! I think you’ve done enough!”

\---

Fighting Meleea for just a little bit was quite the workout. She was slippery and he wasn’t very good at hand to hand combat, even with his spear. Thank the Gods Evie decided to take over, sending them to help Rick.

Alex caught him up as they ran, told him about Rick running after the creature to avenge him. Felt good to know that Rick did care just a little bit. 

As they burst into the main room, Rick was shouting at them about his spear. On reflex, Jonathan snapped it open and pulled back to toss it to Rick when a monstrosity of a man and scorpion combined scuttled into the room.

Jonathan shouted, startled, Alex shouting beside him. “Throw the spear! Kill him!” Evie shouted from somewhere to his left.

Heart thundering and throwing arm magically healed from being resurrected, he pulled his arm back. “Leave it to me, Alex!” he said as he lined up the show. “I’m a professional!”

Of course the spear sailed right into the creature’s hands. Jonathan could never catch a break. Thankfully, Rick was a better fighter than him. 

As they scaled the pyramid, he hoped Ardeth was alright. And he couldn’t wait to tell him everything that happened. 


	12. Happy Together by Gerard Way

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They had all the time in the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!

Upon seeing the ploom of smoke arise from the oasis, he began to panic. Jamila handed him his horse and he leapt onto it. Almost as an after through, she handed him the reins of another horse, a rather stubborn one who, thankfully, had her eyes on the smoke as well.

Nodding to his remaining fellow Medjai, he rode off towards the oasis to bring their idiot Englishman home. He hoped, the entire ride across the sand, that Jonathan was alright.

As the sand burst from where the oasis had been as it collapsed in on itself, out of the smoke was that damnable air balloon. Sighing in relief, he waved to the balloon and saw Jonathan’s eyes light up. There seemed to be some arguments between Jonathan and Izzy before they were finally coming down to the ground.

Jonathan leapt from the air ship, crashing into Ardeth who had dismounted his horse just in time to catch him. “Ardeth!” Jonathan laughed, eyes glowing as he held onto him tightly.

Instantly he was worried about Jonathan’s shoulder yet, it was no longer bleeding like it had been when he left. The gauze was even gone and he couldn’t feel the stitches under his shirt?

_ “You wouldn’t believe it!”  _ Jonathan spoke rapidly in Arabic, telling him about the fight with the Scorpion king.  _ “I was dead for that part, but that’s what Alex said--!” _

Ardeth grabbed Jonathan’s arms and held him out, narrowing his eyes at him.  _ “What do you mean you were dead?” _ he said slowly just as the O’Connell’s reached them.

“Ohhhhh, uh…” Alex said, tugging on his father’s arm. Despite all of their time with the Medjai and within Egypt, only Alex had picked up any Arabic. 

Rick gave Alex a confused look before smiling at Ardeth. “How’d the battle go?”

“Ardeth? I’m fine!” Jonathan said, laughing lightly as Ardethe gave the O’Connell’s a hard glare. 

“You were  _ dead _ ,” Ardeth said slowly, not liking how the words fit in his mouth. It was like he was chewing sand. “How?”

“Oh well--” Jonathan laughed awkwardly, running his hand through his hair, dislodging a few bits of palm leaves.

“Oh, he’s fine,” Rick snorted, folding his arms. “Evie and Alex brought him back just fine.”

Ardeth scowled at him. “Dead is not fine!” Jonathan rolled his eyes as Rick scoffed. Ardeth wasn’t about to let this go. “How did it happen?”

“He took the blow meant for me,” Evie said softly, giving Ardeth a pained smile. “Meleea tried to kill me.”

Well, that certainly sounded like Jonathan. Sighing because he couldn’t exactly be mad at Evie for something she couldn’t control, he turned to Jonathan and inspected him instead.

“I’m fine!” Jonathan laughed, waving off Ardeth poking his shoulder. “Being resurrected healed all my ills.”

“Your boyfriend is just fine,” Rick scoffed and Ardeth could feel Jonathan tense under his fingers. Yet, the normal denials didn’t follow. Instead, Jonathan simply glared at Rick who was smiling even as Evie slapped him on the shoulder.

Jonathan turned to Ardeth and gave him a sheepish smile. “Nearly dying twice tends to put things into perspective,” he said softly, placing his hands on top of Ardeth’s and holding onto them. “Makes you realize what you regret.”

Ardeth’s eyes widened before smirking, tilting his head to the side.  _ “I am always ready whenever you are.” _

Jonathan’s eyes could outshine the sun. And his kisses were warmer than the desert. Jonathan had his hands clutched in his and Ardeth held on just as tightly.

There were a few fond chuckles and then a groan near their feet. “Uncle Jon!” Alex said, holding up Jonathan’s sling which was wrapped around a familiar head of feathers. “Here’s Horus!” He just wanted to gross kissing thing to be over with.

They pulled apart laughing, but when Ardeth fully processed that the feathery head was  _ moving  _ he froze, eyes wide.

“Found him running from their damn pygmies,” Jonathan said, placing his hand on the small of Ardeth’s back. “Not sure if he’ll be able to fly again, but he’s alive.”

Ardeth carefully and gently picked Horus up, cradling the cooing bird to his chest. “Thank you,” he said, smiling at the O’Connell’s. “For your help. As always, we are indebted to you.”

“Just don’t let him get up again,” Rick said, clapping Ardeth on the shoulder. “Now, do you want a lift back home or?”

“Don’t worry about us,” Jonathan said, waving them on. “We have our horses. See you in Cairo?”

“Of course,” Evie said, nearly bouncing where she was standing. She nearly tackled them both in a hug before turning and heading toward the balloon. Rick clasped their arms and gave them both a one arm hugged before Jonathan crouched and scooped Alex up. 

“Uncle Jon!” Alex whined, although he was smiling.

“Alex!” Jonathan mocked before laughing and setting Alex down. “Thanks for the resurrection.”

“Yes, thank you,” Ardeth said, hugging Alex himself. “Be careful.”

“I will! See you guys later!” Alex said before running off after his parents. 

They waved as Izzy flew them out of there. They stood there, leaning up against each other as the balloon became a dot in the distance. 

“So,” Jonathan said softly, turning to Ardeth and smirking. “Where were we?”

Ardeth rolled his eyes and grabbed Jonathan by the collar of his shirt, yanking him down into another kiss. Jonthan hummed happily, placing his hands on Ardeth’s hips.

If it hadn’t been for Horus whining at them, they might have stood there all day kissing, but, as it was, the other Medjai would come looking for them eventually and Horus needed treatment.

But they weren’t too terribly bothered. Once everything settled, a few Medjai camps combined to make up the lost numbers, they’d have all of the time in the world.


	13. I’m so Sorry by Imagine Dragons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He never thought that there would be another Great War.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!

Jonathan never thought, or even had an inkling, that there might be another Great War. Yet, here they were. Evie tended to avoid the politics of Europe in her letters so he felt rather blindsided when they received word from the nearest city that another damnable war began.

This time, however, they were in a little more danger. And, by little, the messenger meant a _ lot _ more danger. Turned out that the dictator of Germany seemed to believe magic was real, which it _ was _. Didn’t mean he had to know that.

As a result, there were ruthless German soldiers everywhere in Egypt which meant there were ruthless soldiers of just about every other nationality everywhere as well. After one German commander thought he could make the Medjai bend to his will it was pretty easily decided that they had to do something to stay safe.

Jonathan sat in on the meeting between the once twelve but now ten leaders of the Medjai. Ardeth was insistent on taking all of the tribes to a sacred ground that only Medjai could know the location of. It was a magical camp created by their ancestors for times of emergency. Ardeth was the only one with a real insight into the war thanks to Jonathan’s night terrors.

_ “It is for emergencies only!” _Alem insisted, he was the oldest of the leaders and the most stubborn. Since the fight with Anubis’s army, most of the leaders had been replaced by the previous leaders young children, making them all more aligned with Ardeth than Alem. And the older man may be a little insecure about it.

_ “May I speak?” _Jonathan said as Ardeth scowled. He looked back at him then glanced at the other leaders. Most glanced at each other before nodding. Only Alem shook his head.

Jonathan smiled and moved to sit beside Ardeth. Taking a deep breath, and leaning into the hand placed at the small of his back, he looked Alem in the eye before speaking. _ “I was in the first Great War. I was tasked with vaulting out of a trench right into the path of a waiting machine gun.” _ There were a few surprised gasps, even Alem looked a little shocked. _ “Our commanders insisted that line after line of men emerge from the trenches and face certain death. Our trenches grew in size with the dead as bricks.” _

The horror stretching across the leader’s faces was what he was aiming for, but it didn’t stop a tight feeling from growing in his chest. Grandmother would just about love to hear all of this later. She might go and slap Alem silly with her cane. 

_“There was little care of our lives, much less the lives of civilians. I knew of multiple commanders on both sides using innocent civilians as shields.” _Jonathan took a shaky breath, head down. For the ones who knew him well, they knew that he was normally expressive when he told a story. But this time, he didn’t dare move. Couldn’t bring himself to. _“It was a massacre, and we __will_ _be caught in the middle.”_

After that, the decision was unanimously made. “Are you alright?” Ardeth said softly as they left the tent, a warm hand pressing into his hip.

“Yes, I think so…” Jonathan pushed out a laugh, forcing a bright smile. “I’m going to have so many more kids to teach!”

Ardeth frowned, certainly not convinced. It was going to be a long night in their tent. That they shared. Had for about a year now. Just the thought alleviated that tension in his chest slightly. 

“You certainly will,” Ardeth said eventually, tone promising a conversation about this later.

Jonathan sighed and then took a deep breath, slapping on a truly honest smile for their camp. They’d been packing up to move soon, they’d have to change direction, decide who would be remaining behind to camp near clusters of temples to protect them. 

Falcons would be invaluable now. And, it occurred to him, he was going to have to warn Evie that she wasn’t going to be able to get in contact with him for some time. Maybe until the war ended. Which lead him to realizing that he wouldn’t be able to hear from her. But they’d get updates on the war. But not from his baby sister.

And that train of thought lead to Ardeth hurriedly shoving him into their tent and make him sit as he hyperventilated. A million realizations raced through his head. As he sat there, struggling to breath. They might drag Rick into the war, hell, the man himself would drag himself into the war. Which meant Evie would be dragging herself into the war. 

And then there was little Alex. He was fourteen now. That’s young enough to look sixteen. If they didn’t recruit him on their own, he’d certainly want to join himself. His little nephew joining the war, seeing what he saw. Dying on the trench walls. Mud and blood covering his little body until all that was left visible was a little hand the soldiers jokingly shook as they passed by.

His thoughts were so loud he couldn’t hear Ardeth calling his name or counting until he nearly passed out and his thoughts turned to static. Adreth was a dull spot in his vision and the instant he heard the numbers he clung to them, shakily counting a long and taking measured breaths to match them.

Slowly he went from almost passed out to dizzy to sobbing and shaking in Ardeth’s arms, muttering nonsense he was certain. Adreth rocked them back and forth, kissing Jonathan’s temple, muttering “It’s alright. They’ll be okay. You’ll be okay. We’ll be okay,” over and over again.

Slowly he finally calmed, curling more into himself when he heard Ardeth speaking to someone, probably Jamila. With a swish, their tent flap closed and he relaxed slightly, tears still streaming out of his eyes.

Grandmother and Ardeth told him to not apologize after an attack like this. They’d become rare in recent years and reserved mostly for after rather bad night terrors which, he predicted, were just going to get worse from here.

“I’m sorry,” Jonathan whispered despite their request. He always felt horrible about it, either to himself or to Ardeth, he wasn’t certain.

“It’s alright,” Ardeth said like he always did. “No need to apologize, love.”

Jonathan smiled and closed his eyes, leaning into Ardeth’s warmth and wishing for sleep. Exhaustion clung to him for the rest of the day, even after a short nap. He trailed after Ardeth with Horus on his hand to various meeting with those staying behind and with those going and even spoke to a few of the other leaders who were too young to really know everything they needed before becoming leader, like Ardeth.

The younger leaders all looked up to Ardeth who was like them. His father died when he was far too young to take control of the camp but he did anyway. He taught himself how to lead and freely offered up advice to these new kids. Had the patients with them that Alem never would. 

The other leaders were about Ardeth’s age when they took over and were taught what to do, but they still respected Ardeth, especially in his role in stopping the creature, twice.

Jonathan smiled proudly at him at every meeting, offering his two cents here and there. But, for the most part, he focused on Horus as that tension rose and fell in his chest. Their poor bird couldn’t fly again after Lock-Nah shot him down. His wing had been shattered and remained limp behind him. However, the bird was still a force to be reckoned with, even if he had to have Jonathan carry him everywhere.

Right now, however, Horus’s attention was on Jonathan and cooing at him, rubbing his head against his hand and jaw. He was such a good bird. Jonathan loved him to pieces.

Ardeth’s new messenger falcon, Rasul, was an easy going bird who was partially terrified of Horus a fact that Horus used to his utter enjoyment. He rather liked sitting too close to Rasul to bother him.

Right now, Rasul had his work cut out for him, sending and bringing back and forth notes and letters from various people. There were numerous falcons in the air.

Jonathan and Horus watched the mess of birds in a rare quiet moment between meetings. “This is going to be chaos,” he said softly, smiling as Horus chirped in agreement. “Aren’t you lucky?”

Horus squawked at him and Jonathan laughed. Ardeth smiled at them, placing his hand on the small of Jonathan’s back. “The city group will be returning soon,” he said, nodding towards the edge of the camp. 

Jonathan smiled, his anxiety melting away in seconds, only for a moment. “I should go greet them then!”

Ardeth laughed as Jonathan rushed to the edge of camp. The Medjai had a habit of adopting the numerous orphans in cities and giving them warm homes. They had been facing an overpopulation problem until that fight with Anubis’s army. Since then, every time a group went to the city, they came back with orphans, which, there had been more of, with the start of the war.

Since Jonathan was the best with the kids and knew how to get the new ones to open up to him, he’d been put in charge of giving them to the families who wanted children. He matched kids with families and spent most of his days with a little army following him everywhere. Horus, just because Jonathan asked, let the kids pet him and love on him which tended to help them open up a little.

Jonathan was all smiles as the group approached, but he noticed a pair in the back of the group that looked eerily familiar. Smile falling, he twisted around, looking around rapidly.

“Ardeth?” he called when he spotted him. “Come here for a moment?”

Ardeth, who had been speaking with Grandmother frowned worriedly at him and nodded. He said one last thing to Grandmother before jogging over to him. “What is it? Are you alright?”

“I am,” Jonathan said before pointing to the group. “But don’t those two look familiar?”

Ardeth followed Jonathan’s gaze and froze. They hadn’t been able to see Evie or Rick in some time. Travel had been tense with war building in Europe. Evie had lost funding for digs and had insisted that they didn’t need to visit to compensate. It was once the war broke out that Jonathan realized why.

Now, Rick and a rather grumpy Alex were following the actually relatively small herd of children and Medjai up to their camp. Rick met Jonathan’s gaze and he looked...agonized.

Swallowing thickly, Jonathan stepped forward and met the group a few paces outside of town. The other Medjai shrugged when he glanced at him. 

_ “Take them to meet the others, I’ll be right there,” _ Jonathan told them before giving the kids staring up at him with wide eyes a warm smile. _ “Welcome home.” _

Most of the kids, who probably never had a home, brightened at his words while the others just seemed confused. He would handle that later. Right now, there was a larger problem to deal with.

“Rick,” Jonathan said, smiling at his brother-in-law, offering his arm. “It’s been awhile.”

“Yeah,” Rick said softly, clasping Jonathan’s arm tightly. “I uh--”

Jonathan’s brow furrowed as he kept smiling. This was bad. It felt bad. “What’s wrong? Why are you here?” he said before looking down at Alex. His nephew refused to look at him. Instead, he folded his arms and glared at the ground.

“We--” Rick stopped, glanced at Alex, before taking a deep breath. “Evie and I were hoping you could take Alex in. Until the war ended.”

Jonathan’s eyes went wide and he almost flinched when Ardeth placed his hand on his back, settling at his side. “Of course,” Adreth said since Jonathan felt incapable of answering. “Why?”

Rick glanced at Ardeth then looked at Jonathan. Understanding floated between them. Jonathan knew why. It was the same reason he panicked in their tent. “We--we will be going to a safe place. You may not be able to reach us. Or hear from us.”

Alex tensed and Rick, almost proactively, placed his hand on his shoulder. “That’s--alright. I’ll let Evie know.”

Jonathan nodded once and they all stood there in silence for a moment. “Come, stay. Just for the night,” Ardeth said, waving Rick to follow him.

“I--I can’t.” Rick said softly, looking down and at Alex who was straining against his hand. “I promised--I have to get back.”

Jonathan hesitated before handing Horus to Ardeth and pulling Rick into a hug. He had no words, but Rick understood all the same. He hugged Jonathan back before pulling away and crouching. He spoke softly to Alex who continued to not stare at anyone.

Jonathan waited patiently to scoop his nephew up and never let go. Ardeth remained at his side, confused, certainly, but supportive.

Alex, eventually looked at his father. The both of them had tears in their eyes. Alex eventually nodded and Rick gave him a crooked smile before standing, rubbing at his eyes. “Alright,” he croaked. “Thank you.”

“Of course, Rick,” Jonathan said gently before looking down at Alex. “It’ll be alright.”

Neither of them seemed to believe him, but Alex willingly fell into his arms as he held him as tight as possible. They all watched Rick disappear over the horizon and Jonathan realized that this was going to be a long war.


	14. Feel it Still by Portugal, The Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex needed reassured that he was safe, loved, and cared for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!

Originally, and they had discussed it at length, they were going to adopt one of the many children Jonathan had yet to place with a family. Ardeth had been ecstatic for the moment. He’d always wanted to be a father, be the parental figure he never had in his own father. 

However, their traditions demanded at least two parental figures per child so he never had the chance until he and Jonathan finally started sharing a tent. His grandmother was more excited than they were.

Jonathan had been hesitant at first, ironically. “Kids take after their parents,” he’d said the first time Ardeth brought it up. “I took after mine.”

“But you teaching them is fine?” Ardeth had countered, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

“I’m not  _ raising  _ them. They’re not seeing me at my worst. They see me at my best.” Jonathan looked stressed by the conversation, tugging at his clothes and running his hand through his hair. “I can control how they see me.”

Ardeth considered Jonathan for a moment before smiling at him. “At your worst, you dream of something you cannot control. A child will understand.”

“Will they?” Jonathan hadn’t left that conversation particularly convinced, but after the tenth time, he finally admitted he wanted to be a father as well. “Especially now,” he had whispered. “Once upon a time, I thought that would be the worst thing that could happen. Now?” He smiled at Ardeth. “Now I think I could manage it.”

Since, they’d been waiting for a child who was difficult to place. Admittedly, same-sex pairs were typically last in line for children, especially male pairs, however, with the large influx of children, the rules had been bent a little.

However, with Alex effectively becoming theirs, that plan was tossed to the wayside. Mostly because Jonthan was insistent on not having more than two children with each parental uint. He said it was better for the kids. Not that they minded too much. They loved their nephew dearly. Ardeth was happy to have him safe with them rather than in unknowable danger in England. 

Alex, however, didn’t seem to think that way. He did everything in his power to make everyone’s lives a little bit difficult. 

The first few days, he was quiet, morose. Ardeth and Jonathan agreed to stick together and have Alex come along with them for most of the day, just to get him used to what was going on and who everyone was. Especially at the safe haven where every tribe was gathered together. 

It was simple enough since Jonathen’s two jobs consisted of working with the children and acting as a general of sorts. Jonathan was in charge of forgien affairs. Any and all information about the war or outsiders in the desert went through him and, most of the time, his decisions were the last say on what should be done. So he and Ardeth had many of the same meetings.

Those first few days seemed fine. Sometimes one or both of them could get a smile out of Alex, maybe even a laugh, but then he’d go right back to looking forlorn and depressed.

“He’s probably just homesick,” Jonathan said gently when Ardeth brought it up. He was concerned about it. Alex was normally a relatively happy and easy going child. “Misses his parents. He’ll break out of it eventually.”

Which, thankfully, he did. Unfortunately, it began a new problem. Alex O’Connell was nearly identical to his parents, a fact that could not be ignored, especially when he began to act out.

It began when Jonathan returned to his secondary tasks. At first, Jonathan brought Alex along with him but Alex began many,  _ many  _ fights with the other boys. At first they feared that it was because Alex was white and many of the children’s families had been murdered by white people, however, as Jonathan talked to the other kids, he found that Alex was beginning the fights.

He wouldn’t say a word, he’d just chose the biggest kid or the best fighter and throw a punch, starting the entire affair. Jonathan attempted to ask Alex what was wrong, but he refused to talk. He’d simply fold his arms and glare at him.

After that, Alex was carted around behind Ardeth. Which seemed to be punishment enough for him. He’d stare longingly after Jonathan every time he’d leave the tent before turning a hot glare on Ardeth.

Who knew being a parent was about being hated? Ardeth didn’t. He didn’t really have a clue of what to do about this. Alex seemed to hate him and refused to talk to any of them. 

Ardeth asked his grandmother what to do, but she said that the best virtue was patients. That was a bit difficult when Alex was tearing up scout documents or throwing tantrums in the middle of meetings. 

Yet, she was rarely wrong. While the other leaders grew tired of his shouting and Jonathan tried to sooth him, Ardeth just waited. He’d stare at Alex, and he’d find Alex opening his eyes mid-scream to find Ardeth just staring at him, waiting, and freeze. 

Slowly, he’d stop and just stare back, almost confused, almost like he didn’t know what just happened. Ardeth wondered if the tantrums were voluntary.

_ “They’re probably not.” _ Grandmother said when Ardeth brought his concerns to her. Jonathan seemed to be under the impression that this was all homesickness, even if he would stare after Alex, extremely concerned.  _ “You said he looks confused?” _

_ “Yes, like he’s lost a little time.”  _ Ardeth said, petting Rasul’s chest. Horus tended to stay with Jonathan and had a disdain for Alex. Rasul tried on multiple occasions to cuddle up to Alex and about the only time Alex seemed like his old self is when Ardeth taught him how to hold a falcon on his arm. After that, he pulled one of Rasul’s tail feathers out.

_ “Then he might be,”  _ Grandmother said, offering him a handful of tea bags.  _ “What would you feel if you were him?” _

Ardeth pondered that question for some time. He certainly wouldn’t be acting like this, would he? Not over being placed with family to be safe. Something else had to be going on. Something deeper.

His mother used to tell him that he was a menace until her death. His old friends had many stories (Jamila loved telling them) about how awful he was at times. 

What did he feel back then? What did Jonathan feel when he was that age? He had plenty of similar stories about himself he shared with Jamila for a good laugh.

“What do you mean?” Jonathan said, brow furrowed. It was late at night and Jonathan was avoiding sleep. Ardeth was listening to see if Alex would sneak out of their tent to wreak havoc in the middle of the night again.

“When you were his age, why did you do the things you did?” Ardeth said, smiling sheepishly. He had asked out of nowhere.

Jonathan frowned and turned to stare at the ceiling. They had been laying facing each other. Ardeth wiggled closer, curling his arm around Jonathan’s waist. Jonathan rested his arm on Ardeth’s, brow furrowed as he stared at the vaulted ceiling of the tent.

“I wanted to get back at my father,” Jonathan said eventually, turning his head to study Ardeth’s face. “I wanted him to notice me. Maybe talk to me for once.” He puffed out a laugh and turned to face Ardeth. After a pause, he pressed into his chest.

Ardeth easily held him tightly, pressing his lips against his hair. “I believe...that I did it for a similar reason,” he said slowly, smiling at the gentle squeeze around his middle. “My father was so busy, he never had time for my mother and I. He never did discipline me. Or talk to me.”

Jonathan hummed in agreement before snorting. “Are you saying that Alex is doing all of this to get back at us?”

Ardeth wrinkled his nose before shaking his head. “Not us,” he said and he felt Jonathan tense then relax.

“Ah,” Jonathan sighed, snuggling closer. “What should we do?”

“What did we want? Back then?” Ardeth said, pulling away slightly to look Jonathan in the eyes. 

Jonathan looked between Ardeth’s eyes, looking vaguely confused. “I don’t know...to be heard?”

Ardeth grinned and nodded. “Exactly.”

Jonathan still seemed confused on how they were to do that, but Ardeth had a plan. He had Jamila go to his meetings for him, sending Rasul back and forth between them the next day. He and Alex remained in their tent, Ardeth working quietly on his paperwork and Alex fuming in the corner, refusing to do anything Ardeth suggested he do to entertain himself.

He didn’t complain, just refused to do anything. Like he knew he shouldn’t be allowed out on his own or that he’d destroy anything Ardeth handed him. 

It was like with Jonathan. Alex had to know that Ardeth was waiting. He’d said, at the start of the day, that they’d be staying in and whenever Alex was ready to talk, Ardeth was more than ready to listen. 

Yet, Alex didn’t speak. Not once. It occurred to Ardeth, after lunch, that maybe he was afraid that he’d interrupt whatever it was that Ardeth was doing. So Ardeth stopped working, sending Rasul with one last message warning Jamila, before turning to face Alex.

Alex didn’t realize he’d stopped working at first. He was too busy glaring at the books Ardeth had offered him. When he finally noticed, he looked as confused as he normally did when he broke out of a tantrum. 

They stared at each other for a long time. When Rasul returned, Ardeth waved him over to his perch without looking at the note attached to his leg. Alex looked between Ardeth and Rasul, getting increasingly frustrated.

“Aren’t you going to answer?” Alex finally grunted out, in less time Ardeth thought it would take.

“No,” Ardeth said simply, resting his hands in his lap and trying to look relaxed. This was the first time Alex had spoken and he had no idea what was coming next.

“You have work to do,” Alex said, grumpily. Angrily. “You need to do it.”

“It can wait,” Ardeth said, studying Alex closely. He had some ideas in mind, but he was uncertain how to connect them at the moment. He was still missing something.

“No it can’t,” Alex nearly spat, huddling into himself. “You’re the Medjai leader.”

“Jamila can handle it. I trust her,” Ardeth said, feeling like there was something he wasn’t saying that Alex needed to hear. What would he want to hear in a moment like this? “You need me.”

That had Alex pausing, frozen in place, eyes wide. Ah, that must have been it. “No I don’t,” Alex grumbled, finally looking away.

“I didn’t want you to feel like you couldn’t talk to me because I was working,” Ardeth said carefully. His mother once told him that it was important to tell someone how he felt rather than how he thought  _ they  _ felt. “I want you to know that I’m listening.”

Alex frowned at him, looking uncomfortable. “You have work,” he repeated, like he was saying more than he was. “It’s important.”

“You are more important,” Ardeth said with a nod. Because it was true. This was his nephew. Family. He would always be more important.

“No I’m not!” Alex shouted and Ardeth nearly jumped out of his skin. “There’s a war going on!  _ That’s  _ important! You have to stop them from destroying the world!”

Alex was breathing hard, eyes alight with a fire that looked eerily like the look Rick got in his eyes sometimes. Or Evie during a dig. He also wasn’t talking to Ardeth. “You have a job to do, you should do it. I’m fine.”

“I don’t think you are,” Ardeth said carefully, trying not to flinch when Alex glared at him. “Or you wouldn’t be acting out.”

Alex didn’t seem to have anything to say to that. Instead, he looked away, pulling his knees to his chest and hugging them tightly.

Ardeth frowned and considered him for a moment. “You are family, Alex. To me, and to Jonathan, you are very important. We would do anything you needed if you asked it of us.”

Alex didn’t respond and Ardeth sighed, settling in for a long silence again. Multiple falcons came with notes and he sent them all to Jamila without hesitation. Slowly, with every bird sent away, Alex turned back towards him, watching.

It occurred to Ardeth, as they just stared at each other, that maybe Alex just didn’t believe him. So he, regrettably, broke their stare off to summon Rasul to his arm. Alex looked away as Ardeth wrote a note and sent Rasul off. 

It was only a small betrayal to prove a point. And proven it was, less than two minutes later when Jonathan burst into the tent, Horus and Rasul resting on his hand. “What’s wrong? I came as fast as I could,” he said, looking between Alex and Ardeth. “Are you both okay?”

Admittedly, Ardeth could have told Jonathan  _ why  _ he wanted him to come to the tent, but the panicked entrance seemed to have the desired effect. Alex looked...stunned to see Jonathan there, minutes after Ardeth asked for him.

“Uncle Jon?” Alex said, almost like he couldn’t believe it was really Jonathan standing there. “Why are you here?”

Jonathan frowned and spared Ardeth a glance before looking back at Alex. “Because you needed me?”

Admittedly, there were better things to tell Jonathan other than ‘Alex needs you’ in a note on a falcon’s leg, but it worked. Alex burst into angry tears.

“No I don’t! You have to go back!” Alex said, hands clenched into fists.

Jonathan, shocked, shook his head. “No, I--You are more important, Alex. Why would I ever do that?”

Alex hiccuped and sobbed, glaring at them both. “Because you have jobs!”

Jonathan seemed to have gotten to the same page Ardeth was currently on. He spared Ardeth a glance before walking over to Alex and crouching in front of him. “Our jobs are not more important than you.”

Alex roughly wiped at his eyes, too red faced to speak. Ardeth stood and came to sit beside Jonathan. “Our work has its time and place. And that is  _ after  _ we are certain that you are alright.”

Alex sniffed and choked on a sob, shaking his head. He hung his head and curled into a ball again. Gently, slowly, Jonathan gathered Alex up and rocked gently from side to side. “We’ll always be here for you,” he said, looking up at Ardeth and nodded for him to join the hug.

Smiling, Ardeth quickly scooted closer, wrapping them both up into a tight hug. “It’s alright, Alex.”

When Alex finally stopped crying, he was back to being quiet, but he smiled when Jonathan told a story or when Ardeth made a joke. Their seconds in command were very understanding when they both requested for them to handle the rest of the day by themselves. Both of them had their own children and had asked the same thing before.

By the time they went to bed, Alex was lively telling them all about the exhibit he’d helped put together at the museum, a fact that Evie had left out of her letters, and teaching them both card games he’d learned in school.

As Alex slept between them, they shared a worried look above his head. “Evie never mentioned...any of that,” Jonathan said, worried, as he brushed Alex’s hair out of his face. “...they’re not like that.”

“I know,” Ardeth said, reaching over and squeezing Jonathan’s hand. “We don’t know much about what’s been happening.”

But the implications weren’t very good, and they both knew it. Alex, by no means, was better. He still had moments of bad behavior and struggled, for a long time, to ask for their attention. They both became very good at recognizing whenever Alex needed it. 

Regardless, things got better. And they could only get better.


	15. Teenagers by My Chemical Romance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life was good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!

Life was good. Admittedly, it could be better. They could not be in the middle of a world war. They could not be hiding in a magical, yet cramped, temple. But, for what it was, their lives were good. 

They hadn’t lost anyone to the war in about a year, those seeking the temples weren’t getting to them and, finally, Alex had settled.

It’d taken some time and a few regressive moments, but after Grandmother volunteered to talk to Alex and knock some sense into him, things had been good. He’d made numerous friends with the other kids. He didn’t feel like he couldn’t ask Jonathan or Ardeth anything anymore, and he was taking to the lessons Jonathan and the other teachers were teaching.

Life was good.

“I want to join the war.”

Life  _ was  _ good.

“No,” Jonathan spoke without thinking and nearly immediately. And after a pause, he certainly didn’t regret it. “Absolutely not.”

Alex looked relatively shocked. This was the first time either he or Ardeth had out right said no to something. Most of the time, it was a discussion. Ardeth looked between them, looking increasingly nervous the longer the silence went on.

“What?” Alex said eventually, blinking bewildered. “But I--”

“No,” Jonathan said again, uncertain if he could explain why. That familiar panic was building in his chest and he didn’t want Alex seeing that. Seeing the hyperventilating and screaming and sobbing. Not outside of a nightmare. He didn’t need that weight.

“Why not?!” Alex said, slamming his hand down on the table. “I’m old enough now!”

“You’re seventeen,” Jonathan grit out between his teeth. The same age he’d been. “That’s not an adult.”

“You’re always telling me that I can make adult decisions!” Alex snapped, glaring at Jonathan. “And I want to join the war!”

“ _ No _ ,” Jonathan hissed out, glaring right back. “And that’s final.”

Alex instantly looked at Ardeth who had slowly set down his bowl and was considering how to approach this. Before he even opened his mouth Jonathan knew what he was going to say and, panicked, he reached out and grabbed his arm.

Ardeth took one look at the panic on his face and closed his mouth. Alex scowled, glaring at them both. “What? Are you two keeping shit from me now?”

“No--that’s not,” Ardeth said quickly, grabbing Jonathan’s hand, but it was too late. Alex was already storming out of the tent, the flaps swishing closed behind him.

“Shit,” Jonathan groaned, dropping his head into his hands.

Ardeth rubbed his shoulders before standing. “I’ll--”

“No. No...it’s my fault,” Jonathan said, waving Ardeth down. “I should--I should be the one to tell him anyway.”

Ardeth frowned before hesitantly sitting back down. “Take Rasul with you.”

Jonathan shook his head and gave Ardeth a small smile. “I’ll drag him back if I have to.” 

Ardeth chuckled and Jonathan stood with a groan. He cracked his back as he headed for the door. As he expected, Alex hadn’t gone far. He was actually sitting outside Grandmother’s tent, waiting for her to finish eating so he could storm in and make a scene.

When he saw Jonathan approaching, he looked away, folding his arms and scowling. Jonathan gave him a tired smile before gesturing behind him. “Want to walk?”

Alex glanced at Jonathan before dropping his arms. “Fine,” he muttered, storming off towards the walking path that climbed the outside of the temple. They’d often had rather serious conversations walking on that path.

Jonathan considered how he wanted to start this conversation as they walked. He  _ really  _ didn’t want to tell Alex anything about his dreams. He barely told Ardeth. It made them real. It made them true. 

Sparing a still angry Alex a glance he took a deep breath. “Alex, I’m sorry,” he said, trying to push down his growing anxiety. “I--I.”

Jonathan tried to pull words from the air with his hands but they wouldn’t come. He chewed on nothing, hoping something would come out, but nothing did. Alex stopped and stared at him, eyes wide as Jonathan, for once, was without words and struggling to speak at all.

Jonathan’s nose burned and his eyes watered and his chest ballooned with agony. He felt like he was going to die. Like the world was far too loud, too much. 

Stopping himself, he pulled his arms to his chest and took deep, measured breaths while he still had some control. In through the nose, out through the mouth, counting to ten all the while. Just like Grandmother taught him. 

Eventually, he felt well enough to look up at Alex. He had his hands hovering over Jonathan’s shoulders, panic across his face. He was looking back down the path, probably trying to figure out how to get them down.

Swallowing bile, Jonathan grabbed Alex’s hand and gave him a shaky smile. “I was in the Great War,” he pushed out, voice like gravel and throat burning. “I watched my friends get riddled with holes.”

Alex’s eyes went wide and he grabbed a hold of Jonathan. He looked about two minutes away from calling for Ardeth. “I--I dream every night of watching you and Evie and Rick and Ardeth going over that trench.”

He laughed out a sob, folding in half and trying to regain his breathing. “We don’t--I never hear from Evie--I can’t  _ know _ .”

“Uncle Jon,” Alex said, trying to keep Jonathan on his feet, but he was rapidly becoming a dead weight and he knew it. “Uncle Jon, we’ve got to go back.”

“But  _ you _ ,” Jonathan croaked, looking up at Alex, tears streaming down his face. “You I know are safe. You  _ can’t _ , Alex. You just--”

“I won’t, Dad,” Alex said quickly, fingers curling into his shirt. “I won’t, I’m sorry.”

Jonathan puffed out a relieved laugh before collapsing to the ground, barely noticing how Alex referred to him, breathing becoming erratic. He should have brought Rasul after all.

According to Ardeth, Alex had picked him up and sprinted back to camp which caused him to start screaming about not wanting to go over the trench. Which led to a bit of chaos for a moment. The camps knew he had attacks from time to time, but no one had ever seen it.

Thankfully, Ardeth had been discussing the issue with Grandmother and had been fast to scoop Jonathan up and disappear into their tent, leaving Alex to Grandmother. 

“Sorry,” Jonathan croaked, curled up against Ardeth, eyes dropping. “Should have brought Rasul.”

“It’s alright, nothing to apologize for,” Ardeth said softly, pressing his lips against Jonathan’s temple. “You didn’t know.”

Jonathan barked a laugh and closed his eyes. Oh, he knew. He knew too well. But it had to be said. He had to get it all out. Alex had to know. Couldn’t end up just like him. He just... _ couldn’t _ .

“Love, breathe with me,” Ardeth muttered and Jonathan sobbed a laugh. Oh, what a mess he was. Just the thought of willingly sending Alex into that hell….

He couldn’t remember falling asleep, but he awoke to the sound of their tent flap closing and found himself tangled with Ardeth. He looked around, confused. It was dark and none of the lamps were on.

“Alex?” He rasped, feeling dizzy. He didn’t get an answer but he wouldn’t if Alex was asleep or taking a shit.

Slowly, he laid back down and snuggled into Ardeth’s warm. It’s where he felt the safest. Thankfully, he didn’t dream once.

_ “Jonathan, Ardeth, we have a...problem.” _

Their night guards were good at their jobs. Despite the safety of the magic surrounding the temple, there was still a chance that someone might accidentally stumble into it. Someone also had to watch the herds that wouldn’t quite fit into the temple grounds.

Jonathan met the head of the night guards still exhausted and half-asleep. Ardeth was far more awake and handling most of the conversation. Jonathan was staring sleepily down at Alex who had a bag slung over his shoulder and his arms folded tightly, avoiding all of their gazes.

_ “We caught him trying to run through the herds,”  _ the guard said, one hand firmly on Alex’s shoulder.

Trying to run away. He was trying to run away to try and join the war anyway. He already broke his promise. Jonathan wasn’t very surprised. Some people will say anything when he’s panicked like that.

And right now he just...he  _ couldn’t _ . He was exhausted. His brain was still years in the past, staring at the trench walls, counting the trinkets soldiers left behind for Gods knows who to collect.

He could barely keep up with the conversation, didn’t think he could really process it all. So he turned on his heels and walked back into the tent. He heard Alex calling after him, but just kept going. He could deal with this in a few hours, when his brain wasn’t foggy and every sound wasn’t a gunshot.

He curled up in Ardeth’s spot on their bed and pulled the blanket over his head, dropping nearly immediately off into sleep.

He woke to shouting. “I know! But I  _ have  _ to!”

“No, you don’t!” Ardeth rarely raised his voice, even when Jonathan was being an utter idiot and getting himself into trouble. Even when he found out he died. “I don’t understand why you think that!”

“I--I--Arg!” There was the swish of the tent and then Ardeth sighing. 

Slowly, Jonathan sat up, clutching the blanket with a white knuckled grip. “Because it’s proof he’s worth something,” he said, startling Ardeth who jumped and turned towards him. “Because he feels useless here, so far away. Because he wants to see his parents because all of his old mates are doing it. Pick your poison.”

Ardeth frowned at him, glancing after Alex before walking over and pulling Jonathan into a tight hug. Alex needed time to cool off and even then, he’d go to Grandmother before doing anything else stupid.

“I’m sorry,” Ardeth muttered, sitting behind Jonathan and pulling him back against his chest. 

“For what?” Jonathan laughed, laying his hands on top of Ardeth’s and leaning back against him. “For waking me? For trying? You’re alright, dear. Promise.”

Ardeth chuckled and kissed his temple, then cheek, then tilted his head to the side to kiss him on the lips. Jonathan hummed and kissed back, squeezing Ardeth’s arms. 

He wanted to say that everything would be fine. That they’d work it out, but he knew that was a lie. He knew Alex would keep trying to escape, knew he’d eventually find a way past the guards.

So, once he was sure Ardeth was asleep, he slipped away with a practiced ease and walked the border between the temple and the rest of the world, pausing at the places that Alex was most likely to make an attempt. 

He did that for three nights, sneaking out and then sneaking back in before Ardeth woke, before finally, Alex appeared.

“It’s a bit late for a walk, don’t you think?” Jonathan said, just catching sight of Alex heading for their walking path. There was a small gap in the temple wall that was out of the guard’s sight.

Alex froze, shoulders hunched up. He slowly turned, frowning at Jonathan. “Uh, yeah. I guess.”

Jonathan just pointed back towards the tent and they both went back together. Jonathan waited for about half an hour before slipping out and reclaiming his watch.

The more nights he did this, the more Alex seemed to catch on what was going on and the sloppier he was in escaping Ardeth’s grasp. The first few times, Ardeth let him go, probably thinking he was going to the bathroom, but there was no way he didn’t pick up on the naps Jonathan was suddenly taking. Or how the night guards all seemed to know Jonathan more personally suddenly.

“You’re not sleeping again,” Ardeth said sternly after cornering Jonathan in their tent after a meeting. “Is it the dreams again?”

Jonathan sighed, rubbing at his dragging eyes. “Yes, and no,” he said softly, walking over and leaning heavily against Ardeth. “It’s Alex.”

Ardeth was extremely worried about the both of them more now than ever and insisted on changing the night guards up a little. Which he did. But, Jonathan found himself sitting in the doorway to their tent instead. 

He was running again, from his mind, from his dreams. But he couldn’t rest knowing that Alex could try and escape once more. It took the breath from his lungs and made a hammer smash into his skull.

So he stayed awake. After the night guards changed their routes, Alex seemed to have given up, but Jonathan remained vigilant. The only thing that worked was Ardeth offering to take turns with him, just so he could sleep some what. 

And if there was anyone Jonathan trusted more, it was Ardeth. His sleep was still restless, but at least he was sleeping. Ardeth was not the type of person to be able to not sleep. He looked paler and paler every night he stayed up, guarding their door.

Yet he did not complain. They tried talking to Alex but he refused. Even the tried and true method of sitting there staring at him until he cracked didn’t work.

_ “He doesn’t know,”  _ Grandmother told Jonathan when he went to get a refill of sleep tea for himself and Aderth both.  _ “He doesn’t understand it himself. And you! You need to be sleeping!” _

Jonathan left the tent already knowing exactly what he needed to do and with a bruise on his arm . He went right to their tent, dropping the box in Ardeth’s lap before walking over to Alex. “Want to go for a walk?”

Alex looked up at Jonathan, shocked, before heistently nodding. Ardeth moved to stand but they both waved for him to stay, leaving him to stare after them, confused.

They walked silently all the way to the top of the temple where there was a small platform and a hole in the rocks that made up the temple shone through. There, Jonathan sat under the sun and sighed at its warmth. 

Alex, hesitantly, sat beside him, smiling up at the cascading rays that twinkled around them. Jonathan watched Alex for a moment before sighing. “You want to hear from your parents.”

Alex jumped and stared at Jonathan with wide eyes. Jonathan gave him a small, pained smile. “You want to prove yourself. You want to feel useful. You want to do something worthwhile.”

Alex sat up and he gave Jonathan a serious look. “That’s--that’s it--I...how did you know that?” he said, awe in his voice. 

“Because that’s what I thought, when I joined,” Jonathan said, looking back up at the rays of light. “I was your age too.”

Alex didn’t say anything, maybe afraid he’d trigger another attack. Maybe because there wasn’t much he  _ could  _ say to that. Jonathan, admittedly, felt rather at peace. He always did up there in that small, warm space.

Slowly, Jonathan looked down then at Alex. “It’s hell out there,” he said softly, sighing. “And if I know your parents, they’re somehow in the thick of it.”

Alex laughed lightly, pained. “I’m sorry,” he said, hugging his knees to his chest. “I know--I just want to know they’re okay. I just--”

“You want to help,” Jonathan said with a nod. “I understand.”

Alex looked up at Jonathan and smiled. “I can’t run away now anyway, if that helps?”

“Not really,” Jonathan said, giving Alex a pointed look. “Cause you said you can’t not that you don’t want to.”

Alex, to his credit, managed to look sheepish. Jonathan chuckled and ruffled his hair. “Believe me, it’s better to live having never seen war than to come home and deal with having seen it.”

Alex snorted but, again, didn’t have anything to stay to that. Instead, they sat there, talking softly. Jonathan told the horror stories he didn’t tell anyone, breathing carefully. Alex told him about how frustrated he was with his feelings. About missing home so badly.

When they returned, Ardeth was pacing the length of their tent. The moment they walked in, he was hugging them both. Jonathan sent Alex out to go see some of his friends before looking at Ardeth and smiling sheepishly. “Do you think someone, somewhere in camp would be able to get a letter out and back?”

Ardeth was happy to arrange anything that made him and Alex feel better, and, within three months' time, a letter from Evie arrived.


End file.
